EDWARDSVILLE - Belleville West's boys basketball squad overall had a solid game against a tough Southwestern Conference opponent - Edwardsville - on Tuesday night, Dec. 9, 2025, at EHS. Edwardsville edged Belleville West 46-41, overcoming a late-game deficit to secure the victory.
Belleville West had built a 35-28 lead after playing strongly in the middle two quarters. However, Edwardsville rallied in the final period to reclaim control of the game.
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Belleville West Head Boys Coach Alex Schobert said, “We just talked about it in there in the locker room in a post-game interview. "I thought we just stopped doing what made us successful. In the second and third quarters, if you look at when we built that lead, I thought those two quarters, we played with great unselfishness, and got great shots. We got the ball inside.
"I thought defensively, during those two quarters were some of our best defensive quarters so far this year. We really got after it and guarded, and we got away from that. We got tired, and when we got tired, we just really had some mental lapses, made some poor decisions that allowed Edwardsville to get back into the game. And when you play a good, well-coached team, and you do that, they capitalize on that.”
Both teams displayed strong performances throughout the contest, with Schobert acknowledging the challenge of playing at Edwardsville.
“We knew it was always tough to play here,” he said. “Coach (Dustin) Battas always does a great job. It’s a tough place to play, especially when, as I said, we didn't execute, and they capitalized on our mistakes late in the game.”
Reflecting on the season, Schobert emphasized the team’s potential and long-term goals.
“It’s early,” he said. “I think we have the potential to be a really good team, so by the end of the season, that’s our goal, to be playing our best basketball in February and March, not necessarily right now. I think we’re competing, getting a better understanding of what we need to do to win. But it doesn’t get any easier. We’ve got some tough games coming up here.”
The Maroons are now 4-3, and next play Belleville East at home Friday night at 7:30 p.m., travel to Lincoln Saturday at 6:30 p.m., then are at Alton on Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
