EDWARDSVILLE - Junior forward Germayia Wallace has become one of the key players for a very young Alton girls basketball team, and has provided much leadership for a Redbird team that has only one senior, and has 10 of its players also playing junior varsity.
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In a game on Jan. 24 at Lucco-Jackson Gym in Edwardsville, Wallace scored all but two of her team's points as Alton lost to the Tigers 67-16. More recently, on Jan. 30, she led the Redbirds with 27 points and eight rebounds as Alton defeated Overland, Mo., Ritenour 70-34 in a tournament at Hillsboro, Mo., the fourth win of the season for the team, who's record currently sits at 4-20.
Although the scores don't oftentimes show it, the Redbirds have worked and played hard all season long, and Wallace has been there to provide experience, leadership and guidance for the younger players.
"Well, today, for my performance, I felt like I did well," Wallace said in an interview following the game against Edwardsville. "I could have done better without the fouls, but overall, even though I had a lot of fouls in the first half, I still did good, but could have been better."
Against Edwardsville, the game plan and mindset of the Redbirds was a very simple one.
"Just slow the game down, don't go fast," Wallace said, "because that's how they like the game. Just go slow."
Which Alton did for the first half, but in the second half, the Tigers started to play their game in the second half, causing many problems for Alton. But the Redbirds did hold their own for the most part in the first half, which was a very good accomplishment.
"Yes, it is very good," Wallace said.
And although the Redbirds are a very young team, Wallace is very optimistic about the team's future.
"I feel like, in the future, we're going to do better," Wallace said. "This is the first year we've been playing with each other, and we'll have more time to get it together."
And the IHSA Class 4A playoffs are right around the corner, and Wallace has some very simple goals for herself and the rest of the team.
"Just work hard," Wallace said, "and play together. Just like get better, get some more wins."
And if the Redbirds can get another win or two before the start of the postseason, it will mean much to the team going forward.
"Yes it would," Wallace said with a smile.
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