Coach Lexi Demott started her second Summer as the Streaks girls head basketball coach. They are coming off a successful 20+ win season and a Regional championship. Galesburg will return 4 starters- Grace, Ella, and Taylor Herchenroder, along with Joz Kilgore. They will be juniors. In addition, Lily Furrow (Sr) and Khloe May (Sr) will return after being regulars last year. With all the returning players, there is great excitement about the 2025-6 season. I had a chance to ask Coach Demott some questions about how their Summer went.
Massey- It is easy to get swept up in the games in June and not emphasize skill development. You had the opportunity to bring in a couple “skills coaches” from outside. It always great to have players hear some “outside voices.” How did this skill work go?
Coach Demott- This summer we were able to bring Hunter Rhodes back to camp for two days. He was with us last summer. Some of our varsity athletes really enjoyed working with him so they continue to go and see him in Canton about 2 to 3 times a week. We felt that it would be great to have him back. He’s a very valuable resource for skills training in this area. Hunter does such a great job of explaining the why’s to the players when they’re doing things. He was very open to asking what we wanted them to work on and what things he could do different the next time. We really appreciated having him at camp for two days.
The next person that we brought in was Alyssa DeCicco. I know Alyssa from the University of Dubuque. She was a great assistant when I was playing there. She then went on to be an assistant at a couple different colleges and has now started Rise Up Basketball Academy out of Wisconsin. She played division two college ball and then went on to play for a year professionally overseas. She did a 2.5 hour skills training with our Varsity athletes. She then spoke to the girls about college recruiting. She spoke to them about what college coaches look for and all of the things they can do if they are looking to play at the next level. She has been in many different roles throughout her basketball career, so it was great for the girls to ask her questions and listen to what she had to offer.
Massey- You had the opportunity to have players go to Ohio State and Purdue for team camps. It is an exciting experience for the players to get away and just be with their teammates. How did these trips go?
Coach Demott- Taking the Varsity team to Ohio State and Purdue is a lot about team bonding. It gives the team a chance to be on their own and really embrace growing together. The competition helps with the team bonding. It gives them a chance to face situations where they only have each other to work through adversity and nobody else in their ears. Overall, this summer both of those trips really allowed the team to become more connected on and off the basketball court.
Massey- In the Summer, it is fun to win and winning can help excite the players for the upcoming season, but the most important thing is to be able to grow. I know you played some tough competition, how did that go?
Coach Demott- We had a weekend trip to Batavia. We played some tough competition both days. Our first day we beat a solid Glenbard West team. It was a game where I felt the other team made a run and we didn’t let that change what we wanted to accomplish. The girls stuck the course and were able to walk away with the win. Another really big positive for them was at Purdue. We were playing in Mackey Arena against Downers Grove North. We had watched them play before and knew they were going to look to get down hill and kick out to spot up shooters. Our defense was the best we have seen it to this day. From being able to press, then scramble to fix it, and then sit down to take away the seams was phenomenal. After the game the opposing coach gave our girls a huge compliment about how disciplined they were defensively.
Massey- On all the podcast I listen to while I am walking the dogs, they come up with the “Way Too Early” ranking next year’s college and pro teams. What’s the “Way Too Early” look at the strength in the Western Big Six and in Western Illinois area?
Coach Demott- As far as our conference goes Quincy will be tough. They return 3 really good players. From following them this summer it seems like they have made a lot of improvements individually, but as well as a team. Moline now has Adalynn Voss (Alleman last year) to their roster which will help them get the ball to some of their spot up shooters more. Rock Island is looking to get their 6’1 Center back from an ACL injury, so she will throw a wrinkle in what they are doing. Sterling returns 3 of their quick guards. It’s the WB6, everyone has someone or multiple players. Each Thursday night and Saturday afternoon we have to be sharp and ready to go.
As far as in Western Illinois, Washington will be a power house. They return everyone and add in a 5’10 freshmen point guard with Division 1 offers already. Dunlap returns 2 of their guards in Haywood and Gulley. Richwoods returns Somerville with the addition of a Division 1 guard transfer from Indiana and Todd from Dunlap. Peoria Notre Dame, now 3a, returns a core chunk of the team that has been to state the last 2 years with Division 1 Butler commit Lexi Baer. Morton is another team that returns some key players in the team they had, but also a group of younger players moving up looking to win.
Massey- Your four juniors were a nucleus of your team last year. Taylor and Ella Herchenroder, and Joz Kilgore were varsity regulars as freshmen and then starters last year. For juniors, they have a lot of experience. How has their growth continued?
Coach Demott- This summer our now 4 juniors have grown in a lot of different ways. We have seen some of the things that we were harping on a lot last year finally click to them in game situations. They are understanding how to use their body more, what the correct read is, and why it was the correct read. Defensively they understand digging to help more and when to dig. Each of them has their own strengths and by each of them embracing those strengths it helps the team be successful. We as coaches were able to see that this Summer. I’m excited to see when we start again who has continued to progress.
Massey- Last season you had 3 freshmen practice with the varsity the entire year. That is such a huge advantage in their development being able to do that. I am sure they hare much more comfortable and have made a jump this Summer?
Demott- We had 3 freshmen with us last year and the biggest thing was the pace of the game for them. A couple of them I still think the pace is a struggle at times, but no where near like it was at this time last summer. The physicality of the game was another part that they had to adjust to as well. We have watched Izzy now make great reads in sped up situations where I don’t think last season or summer she would have made. We have watched Ellie not be afraid to play inside and rebound successfully against players bigger than her. Zaniyah really made leaps as a freshmen last year for us. There were times on the floor she seemed to be our most composed player. They all have made growth in their game and I’m glad they all have been able to have successes and different levels thus far.
Massey- Last year as juniors, Khloe May and Lily Furrow came off the bench and gave you quickness and energy. What kind of role will they likely have?
Coach Demott- This year you can expect them both to do the same thing. Lily may now be bringing that energy from the jump, but has shown that doesn’t change the way she plays. Khloe’s energy defensively off the bench and ability to fly around is something you don’t find often. We are looking forward to both of them to continue to be spark plugs of energy for us.
Massey- Last year your were aggressive defensively. What can be expected this coming season?
Coach Demott- This winter fans can expect the same pace of basketball they saw from the Streaks last year. They can expect to see a team that isn’t afraid to press for a full 32 minutes, but also can sit down and play half court man to man. We have been throwing around some different line up options to use to our advantage along with a 50, or 5 out, offense as well. This summer was great in being able to experiment what works and what doesn’t.
Massey- Are there any changes to the schedule for this Winter?
Coach Demott- There will be some changes in the game schedule. We are still currently working on what the Thanksgiving schedule will look like, we have been added into the Illinois/Iowa shootout, and we are headed to Loyola for a Saturday game.
Massey- I am confident your first season was both exciting and stressful. What have your learned in the past year?
Coach Demott- I have learned a lot in the last year. Whether it has been about myself, about being a better coach, or about a teenagers thought process. I think the biggest thing I learned was to never stop learning. Never stop making connections, having conversations, or asking your players their why to the decision they made. Everyone knows or sees something differently and it’s not always about who’s right or wrong, but how do we grow. Once that spark of being a learner is gone things can become extremely difficult for everyone involved.
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