Twelve Different Edwardsville Players Score, Tigers Hit Game’s First 40 Points In 73-22 Win Over East St. Louis

Mia Semith's standout performance sparks Edwardsville’s early 40-point run in decisive basketball win.

Colin Feeney, Contributing Sports Writer

Jan 17, 2026 10:36 AM Jan 17, 2026 5:09 PM

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EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville had 12 different players score, led by 16 points from Mia Semith, as the Tigers scored the game’s first 40 points, shutting out East St. Louis in both the first and third quarters in a 73-22 win over the Flyers Friday night at Lucco-Jackson Gym.

It was also Alumni Night for the Tigers, in which former players and coaches were introduced, saluted, and honored at pregame ceremonies, including former Tiger great Emmonie Henderson, now head coach of the Flyers, and in the game itself, the undermanned East Side team didn’t quit, and hung in for the entire 32 minutes. But it was all Tigers from the opening tip,

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“Absolutely. Our girls played really well,” said Tigers head coach Kaylie Gudka, “but a lot of credit to East St. Louis. They’ve lost some girls, but they continue to play hard every single night. A lot of credit to them and their coach. It was a fun game, it was a really good game. It gives our girls a lot of confidence, but a lot of credit to East St. Louis for showing up, ready to play.”

Scoring the game’s first 40 points is definitely a confidence booster for the Tigers, and it was just what the team needed.

“Our girls definitely needed to see how good their game is when we work inside out," Coach Gudka said. "We made a ton of inside action to be able to hit the three and lead in the game.”

Edwardsville opens up the Highland Invitational tournament on Saturday morning against a good St. Louis Lift For Life Academy team, and it was a good warm-up game for the Highland tournament.

“Life For Life is a really good team,” Gudka said. “They’re very well-coached. Unfortunately, they’re down some players, we’re down some players, we’re both in very similar situations/ It’s going to be a very good contest tomorrow, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

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The stretch run of the season is coming soon, and Gudka is looking forward to the IHSA Class 4A playoffs, and what the postseason may bring.

“Absolutely,” Gudka said. “We’ve at 11 games left, and it’s going to take all of us, everyone, to go out and play our game, stay true to who we are, and lead us right into postseason.”

Journy Anderson, Gabby Cook, and Kennedy Gieseking all scored the game’s opening eight points, Mia Semith, Kami Gieseking, and Laila Roundtree all helped lead the charge as the Tigers took a 21-0 first quarter lead. In the second, Semith, Roundtree, and Cook all led the charge as the Tigers took a 40-0 lead before a three from Lyuajah Smith with 3:33 left in the first half put the e Flyers on the board at 40-3, Smith scored again, and, Zakariah McClemore scored twice to make 42-9 the halftime score 42-9 for Edwardsville.

In the third quarter, Semith, Kennedy Gieseking, and Cool all led threes to expand the Tigers’ lead to 64-9, triggering the fourth quarter running clock rule. Smith led a very good charge for the Flyers in the fourth quarter, but the Tigres won going away 73-22.

Semith led Edwardsville with 16 points, while Cook added 15 points, Kennedy Gieseking had 13 points, Anderson hit for 10 points, Livia Young scored four points, Kenley Wise, and Ava Elliott both had three points, Kami Gieseking, Kate Haslar, Zara Boyd, and another player had two points each, and Genny Burroughs had a single point. Smith led the Flyers with 12 points, while Aalyiah Arerbridge had six points, and both McClemore and Kayla Sctt had two points each.

The Tigers are now 8-8, and meet Lift For Life In the Highland Invitational Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Edwardsville will compete in the tournament through Jan. 24, then host Belleville West Jan. 27, and Alton Jan. 29, with both games starting at 7:30 p.m.

The Flyers are now 2-16, and travel to O’Fallon Jan 27, and Alton Feb. 5, then host Steam Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley, Mo. Feb. 6, all games starting at 7:30 p.m.

Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.