Coaching 101- 25 Post-Season Questions

As coaches, we recognize the importance of the off-season for our players to work and to grow. I can remember putting together off-season shooting programs for my players, and giving them motivational packets emphasizing the importance of using the off-season to grow as a player.

We expect our players to make a commitment in the off-season to grow. If they are not going to commit, they probably won’t be successful and our team will not be successful. 

We need to expect the same from ourselves as coaches. We must make a commitment in the off-season to grow as a coach and to grow as a program. 

In the first month after the season, coaches should answer some important questions. 

IBCA Girls All-State Teams

1A All-State

Streaks Scrapbook- 1963 Boys Basketball- Sweet 16

1963 Streaks Roster

Roster- The Streaks started the season with a roster of (Row 1) Marv Harris (soph), Roger Johnson (Senior), Rick Callahan (Junior), Roger Bates (Junior), Chuck Nelson (Senior), Van Smith (Senior), Gary Anderson (Senior).

Row 2- Bill Weaver (Junior), Jeff Eyre (Senior), John Geist (Senior), Mike McCreight (Junior), Mike Nocella (Senior), Gordon Rosine (Junior), Frank Dexter (Junior).

At the beginning of the 1962-3 season, Marv Harris was the only sophomore on the varsity. There were 7 seniors and 6 juniors on the initial varsity roster. 

Friday Fotos- Mary Kay Hungate & Richwoods

There may be no coach who had a better run than Mary Kay Hungate at Richwoods. Before going to Richwoods, she won State Championships at Carl Sandburg College. After Richwoods, as an assistant, she won a National Championship at La Tech. 

Hungate coached at Richwoods from 1978-1985. This year Galesburg girls won the Regional at Richwoods so I had a chance to go down memory lane at Richwoods. 

Streaks Scrapbook- 1963 Basketball Quiz

I am in the process of doing a scrapbook post on the 1963 Sweet Sixteen season. As I went thru the old newspapers, there were some fun things that I came across. And they are the source of the quiz for you.

1- Galesburg’s Sophomore team was not called the Silver Streaks. What was the nickname of the sophomore team?

2/3- The leading scorer on the 1963 team was a 6’1” post player. Who was he and where did he go to college to play?

4- In 1963, President Kennedy proposed a $193 million project to build what?

5- In 1963, who was the coach of the Streaks cheerleaders?

Old School Coaches- Favorite IHSA March Madness Memories

This Week’s Question

As fans, many of us have had great IHSA “March Madness” memories. As children or as adults, there have been some great games, great players, and great coaches who have provided exciting memories. What are some of your best memories as a fan of “March Madness?”

The Game Has Changed- 1959 to 2025

I graduated from high school in 1970, so watched basketball and played high school basketball in the 1960’s. I heard stories about basketball in the 1930’s and 1940’s, and knew it was a different game with the smaller lane, the lower scores, and for a period jumping center after each basket. 

For me, the 1960’s was “modern basketball.” There was no three point arc, but in my mind it was the same game. 

As I have been going back and doing research on teams from the 1950’s and 1960’s, I was struck as I read newspaper accounts of the “big games,” how many times the games were decided by fouls. It was not unusual to have one of the teams having their star sit out for major portions of the game and of fouling out. Yes, players today can get in foul trouble, but it just seemed a much more regular occurrence in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s that I read about. 

Kentucky- 1 Class Tourney, Yet Small School Wins State Every Year

Kentucky still run a one-class only state tourney in both boys and girls basketball. My understanding is that since Indiana went to class system, Kentucky is the only state still running a one class tourney in the United States. 

Kentucky starts with 64 Districts with usually 3-6 teams competing for the District title. The District Champions and the District Runner Ups both advance to one of 16 Regionals. The winners of the 16 Regionals all advance to the State Tourney. So the Sweet 16 in both boys and girls advance to State. Kind of sounds like Illinois back in the day that Huff Gym or the Assembly Hall were filled to watch the State Tourney.

Race & Basketball- 1954 DuSable- "The Uncrowned State Champs"

When it comes to racial and ethnic equality, our nation has been a work in progress, and still is a work in progress. The 1950's were a time where there were some dramatic changes in the U.S., including the Supreme Court case of Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education. 

The story of 1954 DuSable basketball team gives one a perspective on some of the climate and attitudes toward race in the 1950's. Much of what I am going to write in this blog post is based on the book, The DuSable Panthers: The Greatest Blackest Saddest Team From the Meanest Street in Chicago, written by Ira Berkow in 1978. 

Race & Basketball- Historical Perspective

 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Later this week, I am gong to have a blog post on the 1954 DuSable basketball team. To understand the significance of the 1954 DuSable basketball team, a first step is to try to put it into historical perspective. Here are some events in Galesburg, in Illinois, and the U.S. that help us understand:

1916- Ziggy Hamblin was first African-American to play basketball at Galesburg HS, Another African-American did not play at GHS until the 1940's when Joe Henderson played for the Streaks. 

1930- Chicago Phillips was the first All-Black team to win the City Championship, by beating an All-White Morgan Park. At this time the City Champ automatically advanced to the Sweet Sixteen at Champaign. Phillips was not permitted to participate so Morgan Park went instead. 

1947- Jackie Robinson breaks into Major League Baseball. 

1947- Don Barksdale played one year at UCLA, and was first African-American All-American. 

1947-8- Bill Garrett at Indiana was first African-American to play in the Big
10. No other African-Americans played in the Big Ten during his career. 

1948- Don Barksdale was first African-American to play for the U.S. in the Olympics and won a Gold Medal. 

1948- Donald Thierry was the first African-American cheerleader at Galesburg HS. 

Old School Coaches- Set Plays (Part II)

Bob Anderson- Williamsfield

This is a man to man set with multiple options. 

Birmingham & Oxford- History with Basketball Sprinkled In

Retirement is great, Amy and I had an opportunity in early January to go south. We visited Birmingham, Alabama and Oxford Mississippi. I would highly recommend a visit to these towns of the south. 

How Does The Multiplier Work & Not Work

Private schools and public schools are different. They have a different set of demographics from each other. An advantage private schools would seem to have is the ability to draw from a larger population area, whereas public schools have a set boundary. As a result of these differences, the Illinois High School Association has developed plan to try to make competition between public and private schools more equitable. 

The IHSA does two things to impact all non-boundaried schools:

1- They attach a mulitiplier of 1.65 to non-boundaried schools. So they mulitiple the school’s actual enrollment by 1.65 to in effect raise the schools enrollment.

2- They also have a “success adjustment” where a team can be bumped up to the next highest class. 

Streaks Scrapbook- 1996 Ottawa Sectional

After winning the Regional over Rochelle 89-52, the 1996 Silver Streaks headed to the Ottawa Sectional. The Streaks went in as underdogs to state power- the Freeport Pretzels. 

Western Big 6- 2025 Final Stats

 

Girls WB6 Standings

1- Sterling      13-1. (26-5)

2- Galesburg.  11-3. (22-7)

3- Alleman       9-5. (22-9)

4- Quincy        9-5.  (19-10)

5- Moline        6-8.  (13-15)

6- Rock Island  5-9. (13-15)

7- Geneseo     3-11 (9-20)

8- UTHS         0-14  (1-30)

(Overall Record- Regular Season)

Boys WB6 Standings

1- Quincy        13-1. (27-3)

2- Rock Island 12-2. (26-5)

3- Moline.       10-4. (24-7)

4- UTHS          9-5.  (22-8)

5- Sterling       6-8.  (15-15)

6- Galesburg.   4-10 (10-21)

7- Alleman     1-13.  (4-26)

8- Geneseo    1-13.  (1-25)

Girls Leading Scorers

1- Jada Brown        So  Q  20.2

2- Madison Austin.  Sr.  S. 15.6 

3- Lynelle Awou.     Jr  UT. 15.3

4- Adalynn Voss.     Jr. A.  14.1

5- Joslyn James.     So S   13.4

6- Megan Hulke.      Jr.  A  11.9

7- Tahlea Tirrell.      Sr. M. 11.8

7- Jozalyn Kilgore.   So.Ga 11.3

9- Ella Herchenroder.So.Ga 10.1

10- Myley Longcor.   So. Q  10.0

Boys Leading Scorers

1- Braden Freeman.        M  18.6

2- Kaeden Phillips.     Sr  St. 18.3

3- Bradley Longcor    Sr  Q.  17.3

4- Trey Taylor.                M   16.7

5- Lawson Zulu.        Jr.  RI. 16.5

6- Nico Battaglia.      Sr.  S.  14.9

7- Ben Goeh.            Sr.  RI. 14.8

8- Keshaun Thomas.  Sr.  Q.  14.0

9- Deven Marshall.    So.  RI. 13.3

10- Jack Wendt.        So. A.   12.7

   

Girls Leading Rebounders

1- Lynelle Awou        Jr  UT 11.0

2- Madison Austin     Sr  S   9.2

3- Jada Brown.         So. Q. 7.4

4- Joz Kilgore            So Ga 7.3

5- Addison Snodgrass Sr Ge 6.6

6- Amyah Jackson.    Sr. RI. 6.6

7- Aniya Dixon.         So. M. 6.5

8- Kendall Ellerbrock. Sr. Ge 5.7

9- Khloe Nicolson.      Fr. Q.  5.5

10- DeNaiJah Bragg.  Jr.  RI. 5.2

 

  

Boys Leading Rebounders

1- Keshaun Thomas     Sr Q. 8.5

2- Trey Taylor.                  M 6.5

3- Braden Freeman          M  6.4

   Maddux Osborn      Sr   S  6.4

5-Avian Thomas        Jr   RI  6.2

6- Kruiz Ludwig.         Sr.  G 5.2

7- DJ Baker               Sr   A  5.1

    Ben Goeh.             Sr. RI. 5.1

9- Jae'Vion Clark-Pugh Sr RI 5.0

    Jaxson Wyatt.       Jr.  G   5.0

Girls Leading Assists

1- Khloe Nicolson       Fr Q. 4.7

2- Ella Herschenroder So Ga3.5

3- Myley Longcor       So  Q 3.4

4- Jordyn Randle.      So. RI.2.8

5- Dalali Amankwa     Sr  S. 2.5

   Joslynn James.       So. S. 2.5

   

  

Boys Leading Assists

1-Bradley Longcor  Sr Q. 4.9

2- Lawson Zulu.     Jr. RI  4.2

3- Brady Welch           M  3.9

4- Keigen Crummer Jr  Ga 3.2

5- Arthur Abbey.         M.  3.2

       

   

Girls FG% Leader

1- Jada Brown        So Q  .571 (116-203)

2- Madison Austin.  Sr. S. .523 (80-153)

3- Cameron Byquist So Q. .464 (39-84)

4- Madelyn Hamby.  Jr.  Q .461 (41-89)

5- Joz Kilgore         So  Ga .461 (64-140)

Boys FG% Leaders

1- Ben Goeh.           Sr Ri. .611 (80-131)

2- Braden Freeman.      M. .610 (105-172)

3- J Clark-Pugh.      Sr  RI  .604 (61-101)

4- Dom Clay.          Sr   Q  .573 (59-103)

5- Trey Taylor.              M.  .570 (85-149)

Girls FT% Leader

1- Adalynn Voss.    Jr.  A  .778 (42-54)

2- Jada Brown.       So. Q. .754 (49-65)

3- Amyah Jackson. Sr.  RI .688 (33-48)

4- Madison Austin. Sr.  S.  .679 (55-81)

5- Jordyn Randle.   So. RI .653 (32-49)

 

Boys FT% Leaders

1- Brady Welch            M .935 (29-31)

2- Jack Wendt.       So. A .875 (28-32)

3- Bradley Longcor. Sr. Q  .864 (38-44)

4- Jasaiah Massey.      UT. .842 (32-38)

5- Arthur Abbey                M  . 769. (30-39)

Girls Three Point %

1- Myley Longcor.  So. Q. .407 (35-86)

2- Joslynn James   so. S.  .404 (23-57)

3- Tahlea Tirrell.   Sr.   M. .400 (28-70)

4- Madelyn Hamby Jr. Q.  .365 (23-63)

5- Camilia Valesquez So M..354 (23-65)

Boys Three Point %

1- Ben Goeh.            Sr. RI .462 (18-39)

2- Dom Clay.            Sr.  Q. .458 (22-48)

3- Deven Marshall.    So. RI .418 (23-55)

4- Landon Nordstrom.Jr. Ge .409 (27-66)

5- Bradley Longcor.   Sr.  Q. .394 (28-71)

  

    

Girls Three Point Made

1- Myley Longcor.    So. Q  35

2- Tahlea Tirrell.     Sr.  M. 28

    Jae Jemes.         Jr.  S   28

4- Adalynn Voss     Jr   A   25   

5-Camilla Valesquez So.M. 23

   Joslynn James.     So S.  23

   Madelyn Hamby.   Jr. Q.  23     

Boys Three Point Made

1- Nico Battaglia      Sr  St    48

2- Brady Welch.             M.   31

3- Bradley Longcor   Sr  Q    28

4- Landon Nordstrom Jr. Gen 27

5- Connor Pustelnik.  Sr UT.  26

   

Girls Steals

1- Joslynn James.    So. S  52

2- Ella HerchenroderSo  Ga 45

3- DeAjah Buchanan  Sr. M. 36

   Jada Brown.         So.  Q.  35

   Amyah Jackson.    Sr   RI. 35

Boys Steals

1- Lawson Zulu.    Jr.   RI. 37

    Avian Thomas    Jr  RI  37

3- Trey Taylor.            M.  30

4- Ben Goeh.        Sr. RI. 29

5- Nico Battaglia.  Sr.  S.  29

Girls Blocks

1- Madison Austin   Sr  S   28

2- Khloe Nicolson.   Fr.  Q. 20

3- Amyah Jackson   Sr  RI 18

4- Lynelle Awou.          UT. 16

5-  Tahlea Tirrell      Sr M   8

 

Boys Blocks

1- Octavius Hickman   Jr UT  10

2- Braden Freeman.        M.  8

    Dom Clay.              Sr. Q.  8

    Keshaun Thomas.   Sr. Q. 7

Girls Top Performances

Points-  31 Jada Brown Qui vs Rock Island

              30 Jada Brown Q vs Alleman

              27 Adalynn Voss All vs Quincy

Rebounds- 22 Lynelle Awou (UT) vs Moline

              16 Madison Austin Ster vs Moline

              16 Lynelle Awou (Ster) vs Quincy

              15 Madison Austin Ster vs Quincy

              15 Lynelle Awou (UT) vs Geneseo

Assists- 9  Khloe Nicolson  Qui vs Geneseo

              9 Khloe Nicolson (Q) vs UTHS

              9 Jordyn Randle (RI) vs Moline

Steals- 10 Tahlea Tirrell  Mol vs UTHS

              8  Ella Herchenroder  Gale vs Rock Island

              8. Alivia Gibson (Ster) vs UTHS

              8. Joslynn James (Ster) vs UTHS

              8. Adalynn Voss (All) vs Geneseo

Blocks- 5. Khloe Nicolson. (Q) vs Rock Island

             5. Madison Austin (S) vs Rock Island

             4 Madison Austin Ster vs Galesburg

             4 Amiyah Jackson RI vs Alleman

3 Made- 7 Adalyn Voss All vs Quincy

              7 Megan Hulke (A) vs Quincy

              6 Myley Longcor (Q) vs Galesburg

Boys Top Performances

Points- 37 Nico Battaglia (Ster) vs Alleman

            32 Keshaun Thomas (Q) vs Moline

            29 Bradley Longcor (Qui) vs Sterling

            29 Ben Goeh (RI) vs Sterling

            28 Jasaiah Massey (UT) vs Alleman

            28 Kaedon Phillips (St) vs Galesburg

            28 Bradley Longcor (Q)  vs Alleman

            28 Trey Taylor. (Mol) vs UT

Rebounds- 25 Keshaun Thomas (Qui) vs Sterling

                   16 Keshaun Thomas (Q) vs Moline

                  14 Kruiz Ludwig (Gen) vs Alleman

Assists- 10 Braden Freeman (Mol) vs Alleman

               9  Brady Welch (Mol) vs Sterling

Steals- 8 Trey Taylor (M) vs UTHS

            7 Kaeden Phillips (S) vs Geneseo

            6 Jasaiah Massey (UT) vs Geneseo

            6 Avain Thomas (Q) vs Galesburg

            6 Lawson Zulu (RI) vs Sterling

            6 Arthur Abbey (M) vs Galesburg

Blocks- 3 Tyler Horvath (UT) vs Sterling

             3 Keshaun Thomas (Q) vs Geneseo

             3 Isaiss Duarte (RI) vs Sterling

             3.Trey Taylor (M) vs Rock Island

3 Made- 9 Nico Battaglia (Ster) vs Alleman

              6 Brady Welch (Mol) vs Alleman

              6 Landon Nordstrom (Gen) vs Alleman

              6 J. Crock-Sibbing (Gale) vs Alleman

              6 Nico Battaglia (S) vs Alleman

AP Rankings- Final Rankings

Girls 4A- AP Rank

1- Kenwood

2- Benet

3- Lyons

    Nazareth

5- Alton

6- Loyola

7- Fremd

8- Waubonsie Valley

9- Huntley 

10- Whitney Young

Girls 3A- AP Rank

1- Washington

2- St. Ignatius

3- Quincy ND

4- Mt. Vernon

5- Sterling

6- Morton

7- Dixon

8- Marian Catholic

9- Glenbard S.

10-Glenwood

11- Morris

13- Galesburg

Girls 2A- AP Rank

1- Breese Central

2- Peoria ND

3- Nashville

4- Byron

5- Stillman Valley

6- Central- Southeastern

7- Deer-Creek-Mackinaw

8- Carlyle 

9- Sullivan

10- Aurora CC

16- Teutopolis

17- Bloomington CC

Girls 1A- AP Rank

1- Effingham St.Anthony

2- A-Town

3- Pecatonica

    Cissna Park

5- Salt Fork

6- Orangeville

7- Calhoun

8- Wethersfield

9- Okawville

10- Gibson City

13- Monmouth United 

Boys 4A- AP Rank

1- Kenwood

2- Marist

3- Quincy

4- Waubonsie Valley

5- Bolingbrook

6- Homewood-Flossmoor

7- Hinsdale Central

8- Benet

9- Evanston

10- Edwardsville

13- Rock Island

14- Normal Community

Boys 3A- AP Rank

1- DePaul

2- St. Laurence

3- Kankakee

4- Brother Rice

5- Morton

6- Mt. Carmel

7- Metamora

    Kaneland

9- Centralia

10- Peoria

Boys 2A- AP Rank

1- Althoff

2- Pinckneyville

3- Benton

4- Breese Central

5- Bismarck-Henning

6- Auburn

7- Williamsville

8- Manual

9- Sherrard

10- West Hancock

Boys 1A- AP Rank

1- Pecatonica

2- Goreville

3- Effingham St. Anthony

4- Waltonville

5- Eastland

6- Hope

7- Mounds Meridian

8- Routt

9- Tuscola

10- Lexington