Allen Scores 20 As 12 Different Players Score, Tigers Hit For First 11 Points Of Game In 80-31 Win Over SIUE Charter

EDWARDSVILLE - Malik Allen led 12 different Edwardsville players who scored with 20 points, while the Tigers hit 15 three-pointers in their 80-31 win over East St. Louis SIUE Charter in a boys basketball game played Wednesday evening at Lucco-Jackson Gym.

The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 30 as a replacement game for the Tigers after their original game against Lutheran St. Charles, Mo. was cancelled, with the original date being postponed due to ice and snow that fell across the St. Louis area.

The Tigers scored the first 11 points of the game and never looked back as Edwardsville were able to use their entire roster and use players who don't ordinarily see action into the game.

"I feel good for our guys," said Edwardsville head coach Dustin Battas, "that was a good win and I'm happy to be able to get some seniors in there to start and play some guys that deserve to be on the court, but there's not always minutes to be had. So, a good win and we were able to get some important minutes for guys that mean a lot to our program."

The game started out with the Tigers hitting the first 11 points, as both Allen and Heavens hit for threes, Moore scored from inside and Heavens sinking another three to give Edwardsville an 11-0 lead. KeJuan Rives hit a free throw to give the Cougars its first point of the evening, then Anthony Armstrong hit a three to cut the lead to 11-4. Allen then hit on a three-point play and the Tigers went on a13-2 run to finish out the first quarter and take a 24-6 lead. A.J. Tillman and Iose Epenesa scored the first four points of the second quarter for the Tigers, while Rives and Carlos Hopson scored to make the score 28-10 for Edwardsville and Armstrong hit another three to cut the lead further to 28-13. The Tigers then went on a 14-6 run, led by Alec Marchetto, Bryce Pryor and Donovan Coates to give Edwardsville a 42-19 lead at halftime.

Allen and Tillman then led the Tigers on a 10-0 run to start the second half to up the advantage to 52-19 before Carlos Reiford hit on a three up top to cut the lead to 52-22. Edwardsville then outscored the Cougars the remainder of the quarter 12-5 to give the Tigers a 64-27 lead after three quarters. triggering the running clock rule in the fourth quarter. Edwardsville then outscored SIUE Charter in the fourth 16-4 to clinch their 80-31 win.

Allen led the Tigers with 20 points, while Jonathan Stump had seven points, Tillman, Pryor, Heavens and West all had six points each, Marchetto hit for five points, Isayah Kloster, Jordan Boyd and Epenesa all had four points each and Herb Martin and Kris Crosby had three points apiece.

Rives led the Cougars with 11 points, while Armstrong scored eight points, Hopson and Theo Bell scored four points each and Reiford had three points.

SIUE Charter is now 3-14 and play at Father McGivney Catholic Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m., while the Tigers go to 19-8 and wind up their regular season with three Southwestern Conference games, playing against East St. Louis Friday night at the Flyers' temporary home of Lindenwood University-Belleville, then conclude the regular season at home next Tuesday against Collinsville and Feb. 17 against Belleville West. All games start at 7:30 p.m.

Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.

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