GODFREY — It was the kind of game that when one team went on a comeback run, the opponent would have the answers.
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That’s what happened on Friday night at the Redbird Nest, as host Alton, despite getting a solid 25-point performance from Kevin Caldwell, saw Belleville East hold off their charges to defeat the Redbirds 63-55. The Lancers got 28 points from Javon Pickett and 13 from Rico Sylvester to help their cause.
Although the Redbirds did do some good things, Alton coach Eric Smith saw some room for improvement.
“We have do some things a little bit better,” Smith said.
The Lancers have one of the most athletic teams in the conference, and East was able to use that to their advantage, penetrating the Alton defense for baskets time and again.
“They’re an athletic group; they match up pretty well against us,” Smith said, “Generally speaking, we’ve got to contend a little more with some things, but they’ve got five kids they can put on the floor pretty well with our five. It makes things a little bit more difficult for us offensively.”
The Lancers were able to jump out to a quick lead when Pickett hit on a three-point play to start the game, then extended their lead by as much as six, thanks to the efforts of both Sylvester and Malachi Smith. Caldwell kept the Redbirds close with a basket from inside and a three ball, and had three opportunities to cut the lead to one, but couldn’t score. Jaylen Lacey hit from the side right at the buzzer to give the Lancers a 17-12 edge at quarter time.
East then went on a 15-7 run to start the second quarter, led by a three from Sylvester, and baskets from Sylvester, Smith. Pickett and Jordan Yates. The Redbirds kept plugging away, and got back within nine at 32-23 from a pair of baskets from Ty’ohn Trimble. Caldwell scored right before the halftime siren to cut the Lancer lead to 32-25, but giving some badly needed momentum to the Redbirds.
After trading baskets to start the second half, Donovan Clay fought through a tight defense to score and cut the lead to 34-29, and after a Lancer free throw, Caldwell’s three cut the lead to 35-32. The Redbirds seemed poised to take control of the game, but East extended the lead back to eight, Undaunted, Alton tried again, this time getting driving lay-ins from Darrell Smith, cutting the East advantage to 40-36. The Lancers, however, scored the last five points of the period, a three from Sylvester and a driving lay-in from Pickett to make it 45-36 at three quarter time.
That the Lancers were able to keep Alton at bay was to East’s credit, according to Smith.
“Offensively, they’re a pretty good group,” Smith said. “They do some things, they got a handful of kids who can put the ball in the basket, so it makes it kind of tough to come back against it.”
East was able to extend the cushion to 11 at the start of the final term, getting the first four points of the term. The Redbirds kept battling, getting a three from Tyler Springman, but the Lancers had all the answers, getting baskets from Sylvester and Smith along the way to help make the final count of 63-55.
The Redbirds have another busy week ahead, playing at Taylorville on Tuesday night in a non-conference tilt before hosting Collinsville next Friday. And Smith has his plan in mind.
“The next two days, we’re going to prepare as best we can, “ Smith said, “and we’re going to go lace them up and get after ‘em.”
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
