WB6 Update- AP Ranking- Dec. 11

3A Girls AP Rankings- The Streaks slid up to #7 after three wins last week. Washington remained the #1 team. The rankings are loaded with teams who either Galesburg will play in the regular season or possible in their Regional/Sectional- 2-Dixon, 5-Quincy ND, 9-Morton, 10-Ottawa, 12-Sterling, #19-Dunlap, #20-Effingham.  

Fast Break- 2025 Xmas Book Suggestions

Jay Barshinger- Retired Teacher/Coach, Galesburg

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle.  Stories and reflections of a gang intervention program in LA.  Everyone deserves a chance to change and grow.

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Author's husband worked for JFK and LBJ (and RFK).  Together the couple go through letters, diaries, documents, and memorabilia from those years.

The Testament by John Grisham.  Not a recent read, but one of my favorites of the Grisham books.  A wealthy man changes his will and the main character must battle himself and Brazil as he searches for the heir.

X/O’s- JH Zone Offense

I was asked by a reader to show some possible zone offenses to use on a JH level. 

Anyone who knows basketball knows two things about youth and JH basketball.

1- Having youth teams or JH teams play zone defenses is absolutely idiotic. Players are taught to stand around and are not taught the important skills of man to man defense. 

2- Teams who use zone defenses on youth and JH levels can dominate teams because it is a challenge for JH players offensively. 

If I were running a JH league, I would ban the use of zone defenses on a JH level. 

X/O’s- Side Ball Screen w/ Hammer Action

As I have previously posted, everyone in America seems to run some form of a European side ball screen offense. Earlier I discussed importance of working on the execution of the ball screen phase of the offense- don’t just go thru the motions. This series is emphasizing the high-low action and the opportunity for hammer action.

Sports Reporters- Memorable Games- Part I

High school sports in western Illinois has some great stories. Communities have loved their sports teams and supported them. A big part of HS sports over the years has been the tremendous coverage of local media. Sadly, many local papers no longer exist so some great stories today go untold.  

I asked some of my favorite sports reporters to share one of the many great games they covered. They have shared some really wonderful stories. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did. Thanks for sharing!!

I have gotten such a good response, I have divided it into two post. I will post the second part tomorrow.

Don O’Brien- Quincy

I covered a lot of things during my more than two decades as a sports writer - World Series, the Masters, U.S. Open, NFL playoff games. But nothing beats the 1998 Class AA boys basketball state tournament, held in Peoria.

The state tournament was still new to Peoria back in 1998, the town having swiped it from Champaign a few years prior. After what was arguably the best Western Big Six Conference boys basketball season ever, two teams - Galesburg and Quincy - made it to the Elite Eight and Carver Arena in Peoria. (And the only reason Moline wasn’t the third WB6 team there is because Galesburg bounced the Maroons in the sectional final.)

WB6 Update- Early Look at Girls Basketball

Sadly many local newspapers don’t cover local sports the way they used to. To fill the void for myself (and maybe you), I have decided to put together a look at girls basketball in western Illinois thru the first three weeks. Please realize, that if I missing some teams and games it is simply due to my inexperience and lack of professionalism. So this where girls basketball thru Monday, December 9. 

2025 Streaks- Update College Players

Carl Dortch- Knox College (5-2)

Carl is averaging 17 minutes per game, 7.0ppg, and 2.4 rpg- while shooting 61% from the field. Knox will be at home on Wed, December 11 vs. Lawrence at 7:30pm.

Koen Derry- Northeastern State (5-4)

Koen is averaging 2.4ppg and 2.3 rpg. 

Jaylin McCants- Dubuque (7-2)

Jaylin is averaging 19.7ppg, 7.4rpg. He was tourney MVP this winter.

Juniper Schwartzman- Grinnell (7-3)

Juniper is averaging 17 min/game, 3.4ppg, and 5.0rpg. 

Kiarra Kilgore- Missouri S&T (5-2)

Kiarra is shooting 63%, 2ppg, 1rpg

Audree Peck- Clarke (6-1)

Audree is averaging 16 min/game, 2.1ppg, and 4.4rpg

Riley Jenkins- Minn. Crookston (3-4)

Riley is averaging 32 min/game, 12.7ppg, 7.0rpg, and 3apg.

Capre Ferguson- CSC (6-5)

Capre is averaging 10.5ppg and 4.4apg. Vs. Lake Country- Capre had 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists. Sandburg will be home Wednesday December 11 vs Spoon River at 5:30pm.

Antonia Kisler- CSC (6-5)

Antonia is averaging 12.4ppg and 10.0rpg, while shooting 83% from the line. In her last four game since being inserted into the starting lineup, she is averaging 14.5ppg and 12.0rpg. Sandburg will be at home Wednesday December 11 vs. Spoon River. 

Proud of all our Streaks alums as they play on the college level. 

X/O’s- Side Ball Screens

Everybody runs some form of side ball screen offense. If you don’t run a side ball screen action, you should be. While everyone runs a side ball action, very few teams execute a side ball screen action. The breakdown for the side ball screen action is to first go 2 on 0 so players see what the options are. Then go 2 on 2 on the side. Once players can score 2 on 2, they understand the offense. 

Streaks Scrapbook- GHS All-Time Scoring Leaders

This is an history of the Galesburg HS all-time leading scorers. I am starting in 1956 with the boys, and 1980 with the girls. It is a chronological order of who held the record for most points in a career. 

X/O’s- 2 on 2 Screen Away Drill

If you do not have the NBA side ball action in your offense, figure out how to get it into your offense. The angle of the screen makes it really tough to defend and produces great options. My suggestion is to look at your existing offensive sets and figure out how to get the following:

1- Ball at the top of the key.

2- Post at a wing with a guard in the corner.

3- Two players on the far side. 

If you can figure that out, you are set. Then the great thing is to just set up 2-2 drill work on whichever side you want. With just 10 minutes work each day, your players can become undefendable. 

WB6 Updates- 2024-5 First State Rankings

AP has released their first Illinois HS rankings. Obviously it is very early and a lot can happen over the next two months, but it is exciting to see who are some of the best teams in Illinois 

Old School Coaches- Great Road Atmospheres

This Week’s Question

As coaches, your teams probably played many tough road games. What was one of the best road game atmospheres your team played in? It could be the competitive level, the crowd, the things they did to intimidate. For football coaches, you can pick a playoff game that was truly a road game at your opponent's place. For basketball coaches, it needs to be a true road game, not a tourney game at a neutral site. 

X/O’s- Elbow Backdoor

This is a great action that provides an elevator screen for a three, or then a backdoor action.

Setting It Up- #1 wants to get the ball back high enough that they are not going east-west but are going a little down hill to get their defender to have to back down some.

#5 is going to go to the elbow. They do not want to be “dancing around,” get the the elbow as a landmark. 

Classic- 1965 Galesburg vs Pekin

Pekin paper’s preview of 1965 game. 

Galesburg vs Pekin on January 30, 1965 maybe one game that captures the extreme interest in high school basketball in both Galesburg and in Pekin. I don’t have details about the game itself, but I think the built up to the game is fascinating.

Pekin’s paper- headline after 1964 game.

Galesburg and Pekin had developed a huge rivalry, dating back to the late 1950’s. In  1964, Pekin defeated Galesburg at Pekin in front of a record 4,300 fans by a score of 72-67. As many games in this rivalry were, this had its share of controversy. Pekin was whistled for 18 fouls, while Galesburg was whistled for 27 fouls. Galesburg led by 3 points after 3 quarters but was outscored by 8 points in the fourth quarter, which saw two Galesburg players foul out. Pekin was 24-30 from the line and Galesburg was 11-18 in free throws. 

Pekin paper’s picture and caption describing post game in 1964. 

Streaks Scrapbook- Girls Team & Individual Records

Click below to see Streaks Girls Basketball Team and Individual Records.

Streaks Girls Basketball Team & Ind. Records