Trailing by one point with 12 seconds remaining in the Kahok’s Friday night game against Alton, the state’s 10th ranked team, Collinsville Head Coach Darin Lee opted not to call a timeout.

Nic Gonet scores on a floater against Alton / Photo by Roger Starkey

Collinsville had already turned the ball over 20 times at that point, which did not instill its coach with confidence. “You call time out, I’m not sure we get it back inbounds,” Lee said.

Instead, a play was called for Anfirnee Wilkinson, who appeared to come clear for a 17-foot jumper from the right elbow extended, but a Redbird (8-2 Southwestern Conference, 19-3) came flying out to block Wilkinson’s shot and send the Kahoks (3-7 SWC, 11-13) to a 57-56 defeat.

The blocked jumper marked the end to a frantic fourth quarter in which the Kahoks repeatedly clawed their way back into the game and into hopes of avenging a 21-point December loss.

Despite committing 16 more turnovers than Alton, Collinsville trailed by only six entering the fourth quarter. The Redbirds pushed the lead to eight with 4 minutes, 7 seconds remaining, when the Kahoks went on a 7-0 run.

The surge started when Sean Davis hauled in an offensive rebound and scored an interior bucket. Brett Langley, who had missed two straight 3-pointers, knocked one down. Rickman collected his sixth block of the night on the next possession and Wilkinson knocked home a short jumper to cut the Alton lead to one with 2:35 remaining.

Alton responded to push its lead back up to six points with 1:20 to go. The Kahoks then worked the ball around the perimeter before finding an open Langley, who buried his second straight three to cut the lead to 57-54. Alton’s Darrius Edwards followed with a missed a free throw with about 38 seconds remaining, but Collinsville threw the ball away on the next possession

The Redbirds came down court and called a time out with 25 seconds remaining. Coming out of the time out, Alton attempted to shoot a free throw, claiming to have been fouled. Given the ball out of bounds instead, the Redbirds turned it over when Bryan Hudson stepped out of bounds as he received the inbounds pass.

Rather than risk a tying 3-pointer, Alton fouled Wilkinson after he crossed half court on the next possession. Wilkinson calmly drained both ends of the one-and-one to bring his team to within a point with 13.1 seconds remaining.

Collinsville fouled Mike Willliams-Bey one second later. Williams-Bey missed the front end of the one-and-one, the Kahoks grabbed the rebound and pushed the ball up the floor for Wilkinson’s last second attempt.

Despite losing the turnover battle 21-4, the Kahoks led throughout much of the first half and never trailed by more than eight in the second half because they rebounded and played defense well, Lee said.

“You’re going to turn it over against Alton,” Lee said. “They gamble a bunch, so that’s going to happen. We did the things we can do well.”

The loss snapped the Kahoks three-game win streak. Collinsville had won 4 of 5, but only one against the loaded Southwestern Conference. Lee said his team is improving, even if they still have a losing record.

“It’s hard to look at our record because we’re playing all of the top teams in the area,” Lee said. “But our performances have been better than they were in December.”

Collinsville lost 6 of the 7 games they played in December.

Detae McMurray led Alton with 17 points. Hudson scored 16 and Williams-Bey 11.

The Kahoks next host no. 5 Edwardsville at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Vergil Fletcher Gym.

Prior to the varsity game, the junior varsity Kahoks won 67-62 over the JV Redbirds. Scoring for the JV Kahoks were: Midgett-23, Gonet-13, Flora-12, Buehne-11, Wellmaker-4, Lyons-2, Robinette-2

Unofficial Line