ALTON, — The Alton Redbirds secured a hard-fought victory against the O'Fallon Panthers in an overtime thriller, winning 47-41 in a packed gym on Friday night. The game showcased a dramatic comeback by Alton, who faced a challenging start against their Southwest Conference rivals.
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O'Fallon took an early lead, establishing a 13-1 advantage in the first quarter. However, Alton regrouped and narrowed the gap to 19-13 by halftime.
Alton coach Dylan Dudley noted that there were few adjustments made during the break, emphasizing the need for improvement in their execution. "I told the kids we have to play our game and do better," Dudley said.
The second half saw a turnaround for Alton, as they outperformed the Panthers and entered the final quarter with a 26-25 lead. The final quarter was tightly contested, with Alton holding a two-point lead in the closing seconds. However, O'Fallon managed to tie the game with a buzzer-beater, forcing the matchup into overtime 36-36.
In the extra period, Alton dominated, outscoring O'Fallon 10-5 to secure the win.
Semaj Stampley led the Redbirds with 23 points, while Oliver Williams contributed 8 points. For the Panthers, Eric Swartz was the top scorer with 15 points, and Jayden Dancy added 9 points.
