Saturday’s Southwestern Conference Snapshot

All seven teams are participating in an event this weekend, and I wanted to take a brief look at how they fared after losing key contributors. The article lists the key contributors from each of the seven teams in the Southwestern Conference and evaluates their overall performance. Keep in mind that some players may begin the season with their team and are not on this list.     O'Fallon Panthers – Midwest Crossroads Showcase   The team certainly looked different without their 2025–2026 key contributor, Ben Akoro. They were led by point guard [player_tooltip player_id='3454840' first='Maddox' last='Blaha'], who consistently drove the play and beat defenders with his quick first step. Maddox excelled at using his footwork and hands to poke the ball loose and take it coast-to-coast. He was primarily supported by Paxton Meadows, a long forward who added to the team's rebounding and blocked shots stats. He also showed flashes of a soft scoring touch in the paint. Off the bench came Nate Nicholson, who got some buckets under the rim. Nicholson is a well-built forward in the 2030 class, and I look forward to watching his development.     Edwardsville Tigers – Midwest Crossroads Showcase   [player_tooltip player_id='3472207' first='Matthew' last='Wilson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2749981' first='Rowan' last='Weller'] led the Tigers. Wilson is a broad, physical guard who used his strength to outmuscle defenders for rebounds. He proved to be an efficient ball-handler, making quick drives to the net and finding success from beyond the arc. Weller appeared to be the team's primary point guard, pushing the ball up the court quickly and finding open teammates for scoring opportunities. Weller also displayed a soft touch from mid- and long range. The Tigers received support from Sire Borden, who looked like an athletic forward with a scoring touch. Borden appeared to be a solid offensive contributor who could bury a team with his shooting from distance. With Miccah Butler, Devyon Hill-Lomax, and Brady Nieme graduating in 2026, the Tigers will certainly need Wilson, Weller, Borden, and others to step into bigger roles.     Collinsville Kahoks – Midwest Crossroads Showcase   The team was largely supported by their 2029 prospect, [player_tooltip player_id='2963993' first='Kaleb' last='Garcia']. Garcia adds size and versatility to the team, contesting shots, rebounding, and displaying a soft release. Off the bench, Theo Talbott adds more size with a wide frame, clearing out the paint and setting picks for the combo guards CaMauri Mayes and Eli Ramey to drive to the rim. Both Mayes and Ramey are high-motor players who are constantly involved in the play and have solid defensive skills. Both work well with one another and have similar skillsets.     Belleville East Lancers – Midwest Crossroads Showcase   The Lancers were led by 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='3430141' first='Kenny' last='Wilson'] and 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='3576960' first='Savon' last='Wade']. Wade is a decently sized forward who added a physical presence to the team with rebounding and outmuscling defenders for the ball. He showed glimpses of offensive upside with a few mid-range jumpers and handled the ball well under pressure. Wilson was at his best as a traditional shooting guard. He displayed a smooth shot from beyond the arc and could drive on occasion. With key guards Jalen Coleman and Troy Alexander graduating, the Lancers had a new look with 2029 Dae'Jon Marshall. Marshall showed confidence from beyond the arc and had the look of a playmaker.     Alton Redbirds – Midwest Crossroads Showcase   It's difficult to pinpoint who led the Redbirds because they played so well as a team. Jamarui Sorrells played with a high motor and was all over the court, handling the ball, taking shots, cutting off passes, and pulling down rebounds. He's explosive and can take advantage of an open lane or a read in the backcourt. [player_tooltip player_id='2540188' first='Ryan' last='Howard'] was one of the team's greatest scoring threats. Several times, he finished strong through double teams while also showing his soft release. Howard also displayed his ability to play above the rim by blocking shots off the backboard. Josh Grimes also hit a few smooth shots from beyond the arc and some baseline drives, but it was his defensive reads that impressed me the most. Grimes made several reads in the press to intercept passes and quickly allowed his offensive skills to take over.     Belleville West Maroons – Riverside Brookfield Shootout   [player_tooltip player_id='2458187' first='J'dyn' last='Lloyd'] did it all for the Maroons this Saturday. He scored at all three levels, took the lane consistently, cleaned up the boards, and showed off his soft release. His defensive skills were on display, constantly poking the ball away from defenders. Lloyd showed why he is capable of playing at the next level. Outside of Lloyd, the Maroons got most of their scoring from [player_tooltip player_id='3454780' first='Amauri' last='Fenton'], a decently sized forward who showed flashes of offensive upside with a few drop steps and spin moves near the rim to get an easy bank shot. He also added a few tip-ins and pulled down some rebounds for the Maroons. The Maroons were also supported by athletic guards [player_tooltip player_id='3427194' first='TJ' last='Cason'] IV and Tyson Montgomery. Cason IV adds rebounding and shot blocking depth, while Montgomery adds mid-range scoring depth     East St. Louis Flyers – Riverside Brookfield Shootout   Without Jamison White, the Flyers lost size and physicality, but it looks like they intend to make up for it with athleticism and youth. 2029 Emaurion Jackson showcased a confident shot from all three levels, including near-NBA range. Jackson is a solid ball handler who saw the court well and made several no-look, cross-court, one-handed passes. He also played above the rim, blocking several shots, crashing the boards, and going up for dunks. [player_tooltip player_id='2962335' first='Phillip' last='Jones'] is another guard who is an offensive threat for the Flyers. He displayed a soft midrange and long-range shot, along with a few quick drives to the rim. Jones is another solid ball handler who can make plays happen. [player_tooltip player_id='2458184' first='Tyrik' last='Barnes'] is a long forward who excelled in the paint on defense, cutting down passes, pulling down rebounds, and quickly generating offense. He also contributed with some assists and buckets under the rim.

All seven teams are participating in an event this weekend, and I wanted to take a brief look at how they fared after losing key contributors. The article lists the key contributors from each of the seven teams in the Southwestern Conference and evaluates their overall performance. Keep in mind that some players may begin the season with their team and are not on this list.