EDWARDSVILLE - Brady Niemi hit on six threes, five in the first half, and led Edwardsville with 20 points, while both Devyon Hill-Lomax and Miccah Butler added 13 points each as Edwardsville used a hot start, outscoring St. Louis Gateway STEM in the first quarter 20-2 en route to a 64-30 win over the Jaguars in a boys basketball game Tuesday night, Jan. 13, 2026, at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The Tigers allowed only 11 points in the first half, and managed to hold Gateway's leading scorer, Gavin Dillon, to only eight points, all in the second quarter.
"I'm proud of our guys," said Edwardsville head coach Dustin Battas. "We prepared well against a team with a winning record. They also have a guy (Dillon) averaging 25 points, and I though we did a good job on him defensively. Rowan (Weller) had eight assists, and did a good job of facilitating our offense. Levi (Wedel) and Christopher Roberts came off the bench and made some big contributions. It's always fulfilling when those guys that don't get as many opportunities to play are able to get in these games and make some baskets.
"It was a good team win," Battas also said, "and we look forward to competing against East St. Louis on Friday."
Niemi hit his first three threes in the opening period, as the Tigers held Gateway to only a basket by Danzel Perry in taking a 20-2 lead after one, then extended it to 36-11 at the break, as Dillon scored all eight of his points in the quarter, and Niemi added on two more threes.
In the third quarter, the Tigers outscored the Jaguars 21-11 to take a 57-22 lead, triggering the fourth quarter running clock rule. Gateway outscored Edwardsville 8-7 in the final quarter, but it was the Tigers taking the win 64-30.
To go along with Niemi's 20 points, and Hill-Lomax's and Butler's 13 points, Wedel and Roberts scored five points each, Weller had four points, and both Tucker Lindstedt and Max McMichael had two points each. Jayden Williams led the Jaguars with nine points, while Dillon had eight points, both Ian Goodman and Perry scored four points each, and both Keith Jacobs and Tylin Moore had two points apiece.
Gateway is now 8-6 on the season, while Edwardsville goes to 12-4, and hosts East St. Louis in a key Southwestern Conference rematch of a game won by the Flyers at East Side 68-60 on Dec. 2, on Friday at 7:30 p.m., then plays at Belleville Althoff Catholic on Saturday afternoon at noon, then hosts St. Louis Cardinal Ritter College Prep Catholic next Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
