Nice Note

I received the following email from another coach--

Our kids loved watching you guys. My assistant took the team on Monday night and they were heartbroken you got beat.  The one thing they commented on was how nice your kids were and there wasn't any extra stuff that you get with some teams.

Galesburg Fans For All-State Presentation

IBCA All-State

The Illinois Basketball Coach's Association selected their all-state team on Friday. Congratulations to Jessica and to Jamie!

First Team
Ariel Massengale- Bolingbrook
Morgan Tuck- Bolingbrook
Jewell Loyd- Niles West
Mariah Smith- Richwoods
Emmonnie Henderson- Edwardsville
Linnae Harper- Young
Kat Yelle- Geneva
Katie Meador- Salem
Zahna Medley- Springfield
Whitney Holloway- Montini
Melissa Dixon- Johnsburg
Megan Rogowski- Hersey
Brooke Schulte- Breese
Chanise Jenkins- Young
Jessica Howard- Galesburg

Advice From Some Experts-- Enjoy!!

Our local paper like many local papers allows individuals to comment at the end of each story. I have chosen not to ever read any of the comments during the season. Just as the KKK hides behind a sheet so no one can identify them, the commenter hides behind anonymous nicknames. It allows them to express hate, hurt, and frustration without ever having to own their words.

A Galesburg story has it that in the 1960’s when legendary Coach John Thiel had a call in show, a particular father called in with a negative, attack filled question.  Evidently Coach Thiel recognized the voice so after fielding the question, Coach Thiel called the man by name and answered the question. Needless to say, after the man had his “sheet of anonymity” taken away, he didn’t call in to the show anymore.

Streaks Set National & State Records

The Streaks this year set National HS Records for 3's Attempted in a season (1476) and 3's Made in a season (397). These are not only girls national records but they also surpass the boys national records.

The Streaks also established Illinois Records for 3's Attempted in a season, 3's Made in a season, 3's attempted in a game (72), and 3's made in a game (22). The records for 3's attempted and made in a season are not only girls records but surpass the boys record as well.

Jessica Howard set a new state record for threes made in a season with 139. That total surpassed the 138 set by Cassie Drew of Anna-Jonesboro set in 2004. Jessica's 139 is the 7th highest total in all-time national ranking. Howard finished her career with 378 threes which ranks #4 in Illinois history.

National High School Basketball Records

Check them out---

http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=3230

At bottom click on basketball.

A Good Start to the Day

I was sitting at my computer in my classroom this morning at 7:20am. I look up and who has bounced into my room and is sitting down in the front seat next to me-- Rainee Sibley. It would have been pretty easy for her to have stayed home, but there she was. She stayed and chatted for 20 minutes. And as fast as she talks, we really covered 40 minutes of conversation! We talked about how much it hurt to lose, and she talked about how much she was going to miss going to practice today. She asked how I was- pretty thoughtful for a teenager to ask an adult how they were handling things. She said she was here today because she needed to start today to get some of her grades up. Energy!!

Todd Rudolf's Story on Super

For the first five minutes of the Class 3A Pontiac Supersectional, the Galesburg High School girls basketball team did not look like it belonged with one of the state’s best. But by the final time horn sounded, there was little doubt that the Silver Streaks not only belonged, but could play with just about anyone.

Galesburg (28-7) gave Country Club Hills Hillcrest (28-2) everything it could handle in a wild, high scoring shootout. The Hawks emerged from with a 77-70 victory, advancing to the state semifinals at 2 p.m. Friday against Chicago Marshall.

RM Preview of Super

After Friday’s practice, Galesburg High School seniors Jessica Howard and Megan Young were all smiles, even giddy as they walked off the court. And why shouldn’t they be?

After all, the two have been a major part of this season’s turnaround and the improbable playoff run that now has the Silver Streaks (28-6) just one game away from reaching the state tournament for the first time since the 2002-2003 season.

The final team standing in their way is the 27-2 Hillcrest Hawks of Country Club Hills who won the Rich East Sectional in dramatic fashion, erasing a seven-point deficit in the final minutes to defeat Morgan Park 81-76.

RM Article on Season by Aaron Frey

It was only two years ago that Amy Massey looked at her husband and asked if it was time.

For most of his first three decades coaching the Galesburg High School girls basketball team, Evan Massey had known nothing but success.

RM Article on Sectional Championship

When you only score 20 points in the second half in a sectional championship game, usually you could be in big trouble.

But not if your team completely dominates the first half by scoring 54 points and building a 39-point lead, and that’s exactly what the Galesburg High School girls basketball team did Thursday night to beat Peoria Richwoods 74-46 in the Class 3A Metamora Sectional championship game.

Galesburg (28-6) will now take on Country Club Hills Hillcrest at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Pontiac Supersectional with a trip to the state tournament on the line.

Journal Star Article on the Super

Jane Miller's article in the Journal Star----

If not for two bad four-minute stretches, Galesburg might be heading to the Class 3A girls basketball state semifinals this weekend.

But because of those eight minutes, Country Club Hillcrest is. The Hawks beat Galesburg 77-70 on Monday night to win the Pontiac Supersectional.

Hillcrest (28-2), which finished second in 3A a year ago, got off to a 14-2 start against the Silver Streaks (28-7). Galesburg, which has jumped on teams early throughout the postseason, didn’t score until the 5:15 mark, on a putback by Myra Diggins. The Streaks’ first 3-pointer didn’t come until 3:26 to play, but by that time, they were mounting a comeback.

Streaks Deserve to Stand Proud

Article by Aaron Frey in the Register-Mail----

They watched another team celebrate at the final buzzer, receive a supersectional plaque and cut down the nets.

They couldn’t help but cry, of course.

When your season ends all too abruptly and the reality of it all finally sets in, that’s just what teenage girls do.

Then Evan Massey huddled his Galesburg High School girls basketball team together after their 77-70 Class 3A Pontiac Supersectional loss to County Club Hills Hillcrest on Monday and directed them to the throng of Silver Streaks fans in the east bleachers at Crowley Gymnasium.

Nice Emails

Evan,

 Congrats to you, your players, your assistants, your managers and all associated with Galesburg girls basketball on a fantastic year.  Even from a distance with only blogs and internet newspaper articles to read it is easy to tell that a ton of hard work, teamwork, buy in, resilience, and perseverance combined with other factors made this a very special season.  I could tell that this team loves one another and the game of basketball and win or lose, that's what it's all about.  Go Streaks!

A proud GHS alumnus,

Neil Myer

Season Ends

Tough loss- 77-70 to Hillcrest. I don't feel like writing much- just the basics. We got down 14-2 but came back to take the lead at half. We got outscored 20-10 in third to go back behind. We battled back, got a steal with under a minute to go and down 4. Big no call on a layup.