Belleville West uses stingy defense to topple Edwardsville
A stout defensive effort led host Belleville West’s boys basketball team past Edwardsville 37-25 the Southwestern Conference opener for both teams Friday night.
The Maroons only allowed 11 first-half points and pulled away by outscoring the Tigers 24-14 in the second half. Belleville West improved to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in league play.
“Our gameplan going in, we knew all season we’d have to play very good defense to be a successful team and the guys have really bought into that and it showed tonight,” said first-year Maroons coach Alex Schobert. “We were able to guard really well and limit Edwardsville’s offensive chances.
“That was huge for us. We struggled to get things going on offense tonight, but we did a tremendous job guarding, which allowed us to win the game.”
Edwardsville, meanwhile, dropped to 3-1, 0-1, despite 13 points from Brennan Weller. The Tigers had opened the season winning the Jacksonville Tournament.
Leading just 13-11 at halftime, West outscored the Tigers 13-7 in the third quarter for a 26-18 margin. The Maroons then outscored Edwardsville 11-7 in the final eight minutes.
“It’s always great to get a conference win, especially against a program like Edwardsville,” Schobert said. “They have a great coaching staff. They did a really nice job guarding us and trying to take away our two best scorers this season. But we found a way to get the job done. We really had some kids who stepped up for us tonight.”
That included senior Keli’i Price, who paced West with a team-high 13 points..
“He did a great job tonight,” Schobert said. “He’s done a great job buying in and doing all the little things for us. He did a great job on the offensive glass and knocked down two big 3-pointers tonight.”
Schobert also praised Deonte Wright, who was West’s leading rebounder.
“He did a great job defensively as well and made the right plays and right passes out of the post in the second half,” Schobert said.
Defense helps Belleville West to solid early start
Schobert is pleased overall with West’s start. The Maroons lost significant varsity experience from last year’s state championship team, including current Ohio State standout EJ Liddell. but have parlayed air-tight defense into the 3-2 ledger.
“We put two players on the floor who have any varsity experience,” Schobert said. “To complete in our conference at the highest level of competition, that’s a challenge. I give the kids all the credit. They’ve worked hard in practice. We’ve won three games and have won ugly ... our defense has been our calling card. Even though it’s not the prettiest way to play, the kids have bought in.”
Along with Friday’s win, West posted two victories in the season-opening Washington Tournament of Champions event.
“I just love working with our kids — they are a group of kids. They are growing as basketball players,” Schobert said. “Our coaching staff has done a great job supporting me being a first-year coach. It’s great having those guys around to bounce ideas off of, and that has been a great support to me.”
Two big games ahead for the Maroons
Schobert’s club now has a few days off before battling cross-town rival Belleville East at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. The Maroons then face traditional state power Lincoln at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, in a shootout event at Edwardsville High School.
“They’re both two great teams,” Schobert said. “Belleville East has a lot of good athletes and is much improved from last year. We have to get ready for them first and foremost being a conference game. Lincoln historically has been great program. They have a lot of talent and return a lot of talent. They’ll be two challenges, but with the way our kids have been preparing, they’ll be up for the task.”
This story was originally published December 7, 2019 at 12:32 AM.