Emerson Weller Provides Spark Off Bench Against Highland, Continues To Show Improvement

EDWARDSVILLE - Sophomore forward Emerson Weller has shown steady improvement throughout the shortened 2020-21 girls basketball season for Edwardsville, and against Highland on Monday night, she came off the bench to score six points and provide valuable minutes in the Tigers' 56-43 win over the Bulldogs at Lucco-Jackson Gym.

Weller felt that she played well against Highland, and also thought it was good to play against a quality opponent from outside the Southwestern Conference.

"i felt pretty good about how I played," Weller said during a post-game interview. "It was nice to play a team outside of the conference, and being a more competitive game. So I felt like I stepped up."

Highland gave Edwardsville difficulties throughout the evening, but the Tigers handled the challenge well, and fought through to gain the win.

"Yeah, they're a really good team," Weller said, "but I think we played really well together as a team as well, so we were able step up and come to meet the demands we needed to."

Weller has come off the bench mainly, but has occasionally started as well, and has shown steady improvement throughout the season. Her goals at the start were simple.

"I just kept setting goals to get better, both individually and just what I could work on for the team," Weller said. "And just anything I could contribute and work towards, I'm willing to get better at."

Weller had noticed a difference between starting and coming off the bench.

"I guess the pace starts a little bit more different," Weller said, "because you're coming in when stuff's already happened. But I still have the same mindset every time. I'm going in to get my job done."

The Tigers are now 10-0 on the year, and have a big rematch coming up Wednesday night at O'Fallon, a team that Edwardsville defeated at home 67-62 in overtime last Thursday.

"Yes, O'Fallon," Weller said with a smile. "I'm really excited for that one. They're good competition."

Playing against good competition is always a great way to improve, and it's also important that the Tigers are still undefeated, with things going along very well.

"Yeah, they really are," Weller said, "and I'm really excited to see how we come out and play this Wednesday against O'Fallon, because they're a really good team. But it'll be good competition for us, and we'll continue to get better playing teams like that."

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