COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Two years ago, the Collinsville High School basketball team packed the stands no matter where they played.
Led by the prolific playmaker, Ray'Sean Taylor, the Kahoks were lining up their opponents like bowling pins and they were knocking almost everyone down. They were 31-3. Taylor was lighting up score boards like a tree around Christmas time. He averaged nearly 24 points per game to go along with five assists.
They had all the right tools to bring some more hardware home, that was until a global pandemic ended their season just a few games short of the state championship.
Two years removed from that heartbreaking ending, and after the 2021 tournament never even took place because of the pandemic, the Kahoks are still feeding off the end of that 2020 season.
“I want to win,” said senior guard Travion Swygeart. “I want to just finish what they couldn’t finish.”
A sophomore back then, Swygeart had a first hand view of what needed to be done in order to finish on top. Now he’s leading his team not just vocally, but where it counts. On the stat sheet, he’s tops in scoring, rebounds, and is a close second in assists for Collinsville. There’s nothing he can’t do said head coach, Darin Lee.
“Tray’s been, obviously in this class the most talented player for a long time in this class of 2022,” said coach Lee. “He’s really come to play every night for us.”
Dubbed a team-first guy, Lee said Swygeart knows when to put his head down and go to work, and when to take a step back making sure to get everyone involved. Lee explained without Swygeart’s leadership, this team wouldn’t be as successful.
“This year we’ve been very balanced, and the kids have been playing together for a long time and our seniors is a tremendous group of kids,” said Lee. “They’ve worked awfully hard, and its shown.”
From 31 wins two season ago to just seven last season, the Kahoks have made a drastic turnaround. A turnaround that wouldn’t be possible without a family like atmosphere said Lee.
Now this family will try to create more memories as the Illinois playoffs get underway, but they know it won’t be easy.
“One loss and you’re out, Illinois postseason has been like that for a long time,” Lee said with a smile.
That’s why the Kahoks know now is not the time to take their foot off the gas, but to also make sure they enjoy every second of this process because you never know how long it’ll last.
“It’s been a great season and a hard season at that, because if we not working hard then we not really accomplishing anything,” Swygeart said. “So, it’s been a hard, fun season.”