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Photo by Theo Tate

The Alton Middle School seventh-grade girls basketball team poses with its regional championship trophy on Tuesday. Alton beat Quincy 31-28 in the IESA Class 7-4A Regional 15 title game at Trimpe Middle School in Bethalto.

With Kiyoko Proctor and Amyracle Hardimon leading the way, the Alton Middle School seventh-grade girls basketball team is a victory away from a trip to the state tournament.

Proctor finished with 21 points and Hardimon scored eight to lead the Jr. Redbirds to a 31-28 win over the Quincy Comets in a battle of undefeated teams in the IESA Regional 15 7-4A championship game on Tuesday at Trimpe Middle School in Bethalto.

Alton improved to 20-0 and will play either Edwardsville Liberty or Cahokia Wirth in the Sectional 8 title game at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at Liberty Middle School in Edwardsville. Liberty and Wirth will square off in the Regional 16 championship contest at 4:30 today at Lincoln Middle School in East St. Louis.

A win in the sectional finals will advance the Jr. Redbirds to the state tournament on Dec. 1 at Brooks Middle School in Bolingbrook. 

The Jr. Redbirds started regional tournament play on Monday with a 43-0 win over Jacksonville in the semifinals.

On Tuesday, Alton trailed 17-16 earlier in the third quarter before Hardimon later scored a basket to put the Jr. Redbirds on top for good.

Proctor scored 11 of her points in the second half and finished with two 3-pointers. She poured in 20 points against Jacksonville.

Tayen Orr scored two points for Alton, which ended Quincy's season at 19-1.

Other players on the Alton roster are Jariah Webster, Jaliyah Wallace, Jasmine Davis, Ziah Jones, Meyonna Banks, Eyona Jordan, Trista White, Amani Leonard, Ta'Mear Gordon, Faith Richardson, Jarius Powers and Kharma West.

Jeff Harris is the head coach and Amber Gieseking is the assistant.