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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Streaks over Centennial- Reg-Mail

This is Robb Strack's version of the win over Centennial..

The Galesburg High School girls basketball team made it a 2-for-2 day in knocking off state-ranked opponents Saturday, beating Peoria Central 59-44 and Champaign Centennial 71-70 in Martin Luther King Tournament at Knox College.

Galesburg, ranked No. 8 on the Class 3A poll, dispatched No. 6-ranked Peoria and No. 2 ranked Centennial on the same day.

 “I’m really proud of the way we played with composure over the last four minutes,” said Galesburg coach Evan Massey of the upset over Centennial. “We competed hard and never hung our heads.”


In the nightcap vs. Centennial, the Chargers were content to run up and down the floor with the Silver Streaks ending up with a 48-40 lead at the break. After intermission, while the scoring pace slowed, the intensity didn’t. Galesburg managed to close the gap to 58-54 leading into the final eight minutes in large measure because of free throws.

The Streaks hit 6 of 8 to go with four field goals. While the 3’s were falling in the first half, the second half was a different story. “They did a good job of taking away the three point shot in the second half,” said Massey. “Our shooters are also good off the dribble which showed tonight.  That really makes it hard I think, for opponents to defend us.”

The Chargers opened a 62-54 lead to start the fourth quarter before Galesburg rallied. Sharron Diggins got things rolling with a 3-pointer. The junior finished with a game high 25 points with 18 coming in the second half and 12 of those in the fourth quarter.

The Chargers still led 69-65 at the two minute mark but would only net one more point the rest of the way. Leading 69-67 with 22 seconds to play, Centennial finally got to the free throw line as the Streaks committed six fouls in 15 seconds.  Stacia Simmons hit 1 of 2 for a three-point lead.

Galesburg’s Jessica Lieber grabbed the rebound and quickly got it up court to Diggins for an easy layup to cut the Centennial lead to one.  The Streaks fouled on the inbounds sending the Chargers Katelynn Martinez to the line for a one and one. She missed the front end with Lieber again getting the rebound and up the floor to Diggins for the go ahead basket with three and a half seconds showing on the clock and a 71-70 advantage.

Four other players besides Sharron Diggins finished in double figures for the Silver Streaks. Paige Klinck canned four treys in the first half on the way to 14 points while Lieber added 12 with Myra Diggins and Sadee Hamilton each chipping in with 10.

Chelsa Cross lead the Chargers with 22.

Galesburg 71, Centennial 70
The Streaks took advantage Taking advantage of a suspension-ravaged Peoria Central lineup in the first game of the day. The No. 6 ranked Lions (13-3) who were missing five of their top players due to athletic code violations.

“They obviously didn’t have the same skill set but athletically, they were just as strong,” said Galesburg coach Evan Massey. “Their quickness really gave us some trouble.”

The Streaks looked like they’d breeze to an easy win when they took an 11-0 lead to start the game and didn’t allow a Lions hoop until 30 second left in the opening quarter. Peoria took only three shots in the first five minutes.

But the Lions battled back to tie the game 13-13 on Jemia Carpenter’s layup and the Streaks found themselves in a ballgame.

Led by the free throw shooting of Sadee Hamilton and Sharron Diggins to end the half, Galesburg led 23-17 at intermission and expanded the margin to 41-29 after three quarters.

An Allison Mangieri 3-pointer to start the fourth period and a rash of Lions turnovers — they made 31 in the game — helped the Streaks expand their lead to 46-31 and the rode the cushion to the win.

Along with the defeat, Peoria lost Carpenter — a University of Illinois-Chicago recruit — to an ankle injury late in the third quarter.
Galesburg shot just 26 percent from the field in the game (16-for-61) and was 4 -for-25 from 3-point range. The Streaks made 22 of 33 free throws.

Jessica Lieber’s 11 points led GHS. Sadee Hamilton and Sharron Diggins each scored nine.

Jheri Alexander scored 19 points for the Lions.

“We’re pleased to get a win but offensively I though we didn’t have a good day — especially in the fourth quarter,” said Massey. “We were very careless with the ball and turned it over a lot.”
 

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