Heading into the 2012-13 season with no returning starters and little varsity experience, Collinsville boys basketball coach Darin Lee knew it would be hard to match the success of the previous season, which included 23 wins and a Southwestern Conference co-championship.
But for the most part, Lee was pleased with the team’s progress, as Collinsville posted a 13-18 overall record and a 4-10 mark in the SWC. The third-seeded Kahoks defeated No. 2 Belleville West in the semifinals of the Class 4A O’Fallon Regional on Feb. 27 before losing 44-42 to No. 4 O’Fallon in the championship game on Friday.
“We were sixth in the conference when we were probably picked last, but managed to slide ahead of a couple teams,” Lee said, referring to O’Fallon and Granite City, which were 2-12. “There were a few games that we could have won that we let slip away, but the Southwestern Conference was especially tough at the top this year and we couldn’t beat those teams.
“We turned it on a little bit in the last week. If not for the last minute against O’Fallon (when Collinsville couldn’t hold a four-point lead), we could have ended on a high note.”