Basketball Recap: Alex Johnson Key Part of a Team Effort in Flyers Win

After losing to Belleville East the last time they met, East St. Louis decided to demonstrate that turnabout is fair play. The East St. Louis Flyers strolled past the Belleville East Lancers with points to spare on Tuesday, taking the game 63-45. The win was all the more spectacular given the Flyers' disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 157th, while the Lancers are ranked 36th).

East St. Louis' victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Alex Johnson, who went 9 of 17 en route to 25 points in addition to seven rebounds and three steals. Johnson is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed three or more in the last four games he's played. Ishaia Brown was another key player, putting up two points along with 24 boards and three steals.

Flyers

Previous 2 Games

01/14/25 vs Belleville East	63-45
01/10/25 vs O'Fallon	62-48

East St. Louis smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in eight consecutive matchups.

East St. Louis' win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-10. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 62.7 points per game. As for Belleville East, they are on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 11-5.

East St. Louis will challenge DeKalb at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. East St. Louis has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last three games. As for Belleville East, they will face off against Collinsville at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Collinsville is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 55 points per game this season.