Coach Deiondre Riney: Alton High Basketball Team to Graduate Seven "Great" Seniors

ALTON - For Coach Deiondre Riney, the end of this year’s basketball season was bittersweet.

Riney coaches the girls’ team at Alton High School. He is proud of his team and the work they put in to succeed. But it will be sad to say goodbye to the team’s seven seniors, all of whom, Riney said, made major contributions.

“They all had their impact,” Riney said. “They taught me a lot about coaching, how to handle those different personalities, when to push, when to let off. Just a group that you just feel really loved each other, and they showed it in the way they played, the way they talked to each other, the way they had each other’s backs. It’s tough to lose those kids, but they’ll be going on to do bigger and better things.”

This year’s senior players include Justice Haynes, Ja’kayla Steen, Kaylea Lacey, Kyridas Orr, Lauryn Wimbley, Aryanna Anthony and Ava Harris.

They had a successful season, coming off a third place finish at the state tournament last year and enjoying runs of up to 18 undefeated games during the 2025–2026 season. The girls were eager to jump in and put in the work at 6 a.m open gyms and afterschool practices, which Riney appreciated.

He gave a special shoutout to each senior, acknowledging Harris as “always positive” and Lacey as a player who “took every opportunity to lead us when we needed her.” Orr, a “tough kid,” was “always ready to accept the challenge,” while Steen “really led us from a stability standpoint.” Haynes is “a small kid with a big heart” and Anthony acted as “an extension of the coach,” while Wimbley was their affectionate “wild card” who “stepped up” when they needed her most.

Riney believes all seven girls will go on to be successful in whatever they choose to do next. He pointed out that each of them has the opportunity to play collegiate basketball, and it’s up to them if they’ll decide to play, pursue other sports, or simply focus on their studies.

Either way, he’s proud of the work they’ve put in during their senior season. The community has shown their pride, too, with nearly 800 people coming out to the team’s senior night.

“That’s the biggest thing. The community showed up for these kids. They support them. They did a lot to have their back and to make them feel like they are something,” Riney explained. “We always want to thank the community for coming out and supporting us.”

Looking ahead, Riney is excited to watch his players walk across the graduation stage. He’s also thinking about next season. With only one player with varsity experience, he believes it’ll be like “a whole new roster.” But he believes the team is poised to continue their positive streak.

“I’m just hoping that this group was able to inspire the next generation to kind of keep the tradition going,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to show as a coach that you can grow and adapt with kids, that you can still get the most out of them. You have to be able to move onto the next group and coach them up as well. They’re going to be really great.”

In the meantime, he wishes the best for his seven seniors and looks forward to their success in their next phase of life. He is proud of the work they put in and eager to prepare for the 2026–2027 season.

“It was a pleasure coaching them,” he added. “Seven great kids. Not only talented basketball players, but great human beings. Funny. They understood the moment. They grasped a lot of moments. They didn’t really miss too many opportunities to be successful. They seized every single one. I just want to thank them for that.”

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