In basketball once you start shooting from beyond the three point arc, things can get wild. In this series, I am going to share some stories that may seem a little wild too.
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Beyond the Arc: Cross Country Race & Baseball Trad
In basketball once you start shooting from beyond the three point arc, things can get wild. In this series, I am going to share some stories that may seem a little wild too.
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Coaches’ Corner- Zoom Action with Fade
This set is creating a zoom action for a guard, but the real play is a fade after the handoff.
Streaks Alumni Profile- Zach Statham 2008
Today’s “Streaks Alumni Profile” features Zach Statham from the GHS Class of 2008.
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
The Summer the Stars Aligned: My 1962 All-Star Game Adventure
(Originally published August 3, 2025)
My dad, W.F.Massey was a high school teacher, coach, and athletic director in Savanna, Illinois. In Savanna, everyone called him “Mass.” Summers we loaded up the car and went back to where he had grown up, in rural Hollandale, Wisconsin. There to his four brothers and the family, he was his called by his middle name, “Ford.” Dad owned a dairy farm that he rented out. Our summers were spent cutting thistles, white washing the barn, building fences, and getting to play baseball with all the Massey cousins.
Massey Quiz #54- Places of the World
This week’s Massey Quiz is a test of your knowledge of famous places of the world. I will give you a place, and you need to identify the country is it located in. If it is located in the United States, you must tell what state it is located in.
Summer of ‘71- Chip Shots, Jump Shots, Dink Shots, & HR Shots
Monday, July 13, 2026
Coaches’ Corner: Handoff to Clear, Fake Handoff
This shows two options off of a handoff action. The first is a handoff into a clear out and the second is a fake handoff.
Streaks Alumni Profile- Ady Eastburg 2018
Today’s “Streaks Alumni Profile” features Ady Eastburg from the GHS Class of 2018.
This Week in Galesburg History (July 13)
“This Week in Galesburg History” there was dancing on a rooftop, future MLB players taking swings, and dating advice to teenagers.
This is a look back at the history of Galesburg (and the world). What was going on 100 years ago, 75 years ago, 50 years ago, 25 years ago, and 10 years ago this week?
“This Week in Galesburg History” appears every Monday morning on the WGIL website and Massey Basketball Blog.
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Tommy Kourzmanoff- Reflect on Officiating 1954 State Tourney
In the 1974 IHSA State Tourney Program, Tommy Kouzmanoff looks back 20 years before when he worked his first State Tourney. He shares the pressures and excitement of working the State Tourney in 1954.
At the time of writing this story, Tommy was the Prep Sports Editor of the Chicago Today newspaper.
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Beyond the Arc- Standish, Appleknockers, Skinny Dipping
In basketball once you start shooting from beyond the three point arc, things can get wild. In this series, I am going to share some stories that may seem a little wild too.
Coaches’ Corner- Make Time, 150 Minutes
As coaches, we always design programs for our players to improve their games in the off-season. We talk to them about commitment and discipline. A buzz phrase to our players is, “Don’t find time, make time.”
Thursday, July 9, 2026
1971 Galesburg Legion Baseball Wins State Title
Galesburg’s American Legion baseball team had a season to remember 55 years ago. In the summer of 1971, the Legion went 39-5. They won their league, the District Tourney, Division Tourney, and Illinois State Tourney. It was not until Great Lake’s Regional in Michigan that they lost two heartbreaking games to finish their season.
Massey Basketball Quiz #1- Basketball History
There are a lot of "experts" out there who know everything there is to know about basketball. This quiz is designed to determine how much you actually know about basketball. Some of us have a big advantage because we helped pump up the ball for that first game.
Don’t cheat- get a pad of paper out, answer the test questions, then grade your answers. After you score your test, put your number correct in the comments and also type in your name at the end of your comment.
1- When was basketball invented:
A- 1848 when Lincoln posted up Douglas at Knox College.
B- 1891
C- 1906
D- 1932
2- Where was basketball invented?
A- Springfield Massachusetts
B- Lexington Kentucky
C- Lawrence Kansas
D- Cooperstown New York
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Coaches’ Corner- 1-4 Low at End of Clock??
There are a fair number of coaches who love to run a 1-4 low set at the end of quarters and end of shot clock for their best players. It is often a great one on one player.
May 2002- Cottage Medical Plaza Opens
The Cottage Medical Plaza on the north side of Cottage Hospital opened up in May of 2002. At its opening, there were 28 doctors in 10 different specialities moving into offices in the building.
This is a newspaper handout published to describe and promote the opening. This is from the collection of June (Plyn) O’Brien, who graduated from GHS in 1965 and Cottage School of nursing in 1969. She was still working at Cottage in 2002.
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Massey Quiz #53- U.S. Presidents and States They Were Born
This week’s Massey Quiz is a test of U.S. Presidents and the state they were born in. Some of the early Presidents were born before the U.S. was a nation so you are saying what State it later became.
The answers are at the end of the quiz. Keep track of your score and read exactly what your score indicates.
Streaks Girls Hoops- High Goals & Busy June
The Galesburg Girls Basketball team is coming off a great season. The Streaks were 28-5 overall and took second with an 11-3 record in the Western Big Six Conference.
The Streaks five losses were to Quincy, Rock Island, Sterling, Loyola Academy, and Washington.
GHS advanced to the Galesburg Sectional finals where they met the eventual State Champions, Washington. Washington came out on top 61-37 in Thiel Gym.
The Streaks return 4 of 5 starters, as well as 6 of their top 8 players. The team has high goals for the 2026-7 season, and just finished their summer workouts. I asked Coach Lexi Demott for an update how their summer workouts have gone.
Coaches’ Corner- Reverse into Fade & Slip Action
Coaches’ Corner- Players can be taught to read and screen action, and then curl and slip if needed. In this case, we are purposely reversing the ball into fade and slip action. Everyone on offense knows what is going to happen.
Monday, July 6, 2026
Streaks Alumni Profile- Sam Fisk 1993
Today’s “Streaks Alumni Profile” features Sam Fisk from the GHS Class of 1993.
Sunday, July 5, 2026
This Week in Galesburg History (July 6, 2026)
This is a look back at the history of Galesburg (and the world). What was going on 100 years ago, 75 years ago, 50 years ago, 25 years ago, and 10 years ago this week?
“This Week in Galesburg History” appears every Monday morning on the WGIL website and Massey Basketball Blog.
Dawdy Hawkins- Pekin’s Legendary Coach
Dawdy Hawkins was the legendary coach at Pekin HS, where his teams won two State Championships.
After his retirement, the 1975 IHSA State Basketball Tourney Program featured a story about Coach Hawkins by Peoria Journal-Star writer, Bob Leavitt.
Saturday, July 4, 2026
Collection of Tips from Twitter
Here are some of the best things that I have seen on Twitter over the past week- X/O’s, Motivation, Team Building, Skill Development, Mental Approach, and more.
Friday, July 3, 2026
4th of July with The Massey Brothers
 |
| Glenn, Oswald, Grandma, Ford, Wendell, Dwayne |
(This was originally written on July 4, 2012)
Growing up in the 1950's & 1960's, the 4th of July meant one thing- the Massey's getting together. Today it is the "Massey Reunion", back then it was just the Massey brother's getting together with their children and grandchildren.
My grandfather (Cornelius) and my grandmother (Roberta) had five sons. The sons in order of birth were Glenn, Wendell, Wright, Oswald, and Dwayne. Two times a year, the brothers always got together- the Fourth of July and Christmas Eve. As long as they were alive, I don't remember any of them ever missing. It did not matter if the Fourth was on the middle of the week or a weekend, at noon the Massey brothers & families got together.
Thursday, July 2, 2026
A-Town’s Kennedy Quinn- Commits to DePaul- “She’s Earned It”
Kennedy Quinn is going into her senior year at A-Town. The 5’6” guard just committed to play D-1 basketball at DePaul University after graduation.
At A-Town, she has had a tremendous career. Kennedy has lead the Tornadoes to 26-8, 30-5, and 26-6 records her first three years. She has averaged 19.0ppg, 16.8ppg, and 23.0ppg in her first three years. She will enter this season with 1,940 career points. In addition, she has averaged 5 assists/game over the three years.
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Cottage’s School of Nursing- Nurses Impacting Health a Century
Galesburg’s Cottage Hospital’s School of Nursing trained nurses in for parts of nine decades. Cottage Hospital opened in 1893, and the School of Nursing started the following year in 1994. Cottage decided to stop admitting new students to the School of Nursing in 1969.
Massey Quiz #55- More Doors of Galesburg
I have fifteen pictures of Galesburg DOORS. The quiz is designed to celebrate how wonderful Galesburg is, and test your knowledge of our community. Enjoy and have fun!!
The answers are at the end of the quiz. Keep track of your score and read exactly what your score indicates. If you would like- share your score on the Facebook or Massey Blog under the comments.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
Answers
1- First Christian Church
2- Pizza House
3- St. Patrick’s Church
4- Central Congregational Church
5- Seymour Library at Knox College
6- Lombard School
7- Landmark Cafe
8- Knox Co. YMCA on Main Street
9- First Presbyterian Church
10- Alumni Hall, Knox College
11- First Glass on the Square
12- Cherry Street Brewing
13- The Old Foley Mortuary on Broad St.
14- Art Center, Main and Seminary
15- Ascent Church (former First Baptist Church)
What Your Score Means
13-15 Correct- Great job, you should start giving Galesburg tours.
10-12 Correct- This is good, you know Galesburg well enough to be an Uber driver.
7-9 Correct- A little too much TV. Get out and drive around the ‘Burg.
0-6 Correct- Welcome to Galesburg!!