Chicago- The Worst Pro Teams in America?

This is not an angry fan tirade, it is just an observation. I am a White Sox and Bulls fan. My question- Does any major city in America have worse run professional teams than Chicago? 

2024 was not a great year for Chicago sports fans. 

X/O’s- Dribble Drive Option From Horns

Normal Alignment- The normal alignment would have two post players at the elbows. 

Reflections- My Wife Was Right

I loved to go to coaching clinics. When a new clinic brochure came out, there was always someone I felt I “had to see.” It could be Bob Knight on “Man to Man Drills,” Dean Smith’s “Fastbreak and Secondaries,” some coach speaking on ob’s, or a million other speakers and topics. There was always a speaker or a topic that drew me to go. 

My wife was always supportive but she also was skeptical about the importance of going to so many clinics. Most of her questions were a result of her trying to understand my fascination with clinics. She would ask things like,”Haven’t you heard Bob Knight ten times already?” Or maybe it would be,”Are there really that many new out of bounds plays?” She never was telling me not to go, she just wasn’t sure about the value. 

X/O’s- 5 Out Backdoor Off Deadball

I saw team run a nice backdoor action. At first I thought it was just a random action but after they scored 7 points off the same action, I realized it was a planned action. There was nothing complex about it, but it was a really great concept. 

X/O’s- OB- Handoff & Fake Handoff

Post Out to Corner- #5 must get open cutting to corner. #4 and #3 run a screen on the weakside to help keep helpside defense occupied.

Legends- 1960 & 1961 Savanna Basketball

I am at an age where I tend to do a lot of reflecting on the past, remembering “the good old days.” In the past month, two things happened to cause me to reflect on growing up in Savanna. The first was when I heard it was definite that Savanna HS was closing and that Massey Field would no longer be used. 

Hearing that news made me sad. Both Savanna HS and Massey Field are filled with many, many great memories. It is really hard to wrap my head around the present situation. Obviously times change and I am an old man. 

Friday Fotos- Mattoon-Charleston Xmas Tourney

Mattoon Gym- Mattoon has redone their gym. It looks beautiful.

Legends- Taylorville- Dolph Stanley

Big thanks to Jason Wessels of WGIL and Ryan Brown- Taylorville coach for the photos. 

Taylorville- 1944 State Champs- Dolph Stanley’s most famous team was his 1944 Taylorville team. They were undefeated State Champs, finishing a perfect 45-0. It is doubtful any team will break this record.

William Allen- Letter From Germany on Xmas Eve 1944

The following is a letter written to his Aunt Mabel by William Allen on Christmas Eve in 1944 from Germany. It was to be Bill Allen’s last Christmas as he was killed in May of 1945. 

                                                                                 

Inside Hoops- Self-Scouting- It’s Worth the Time

Services like Hudl have given basketball coaches access to hours and hours of game film of their opponents. That is good news and bad news. In the “old days” maybe a coach had 2-3 films to watch of an opponents. Today vs the best opponents, it is not unusual to have 8-10 game to watch, and even more later in the year. As a coach, you feel you need to watch the tape if you have them.

Reflections- Lady Streaks- No Thanks!

I feel strongly that referring to the Galesubrg girls basketball team as the Lady Streaks is demeaning, condescending, and sexist. I realize that most of the people using the phrase “Lady Streaks” don’t have the intent to demean the female athlete, but the phrase is still demeaning. 

When girls basketball was first started in 1972, many were not sure exactly where girls sports and female atheletes should fit into the existing scheme of things. Boys sports were long established at that point, male athletes had played in the YMCA, JH, and had done numerous camps by the time they got to GHS. For most if not all the female athletes, their actual first team experiences were in 1972. 

WB6 Update- Holiday Tourney Brackets

All 8 boys teams and all 8 girls teams will be headed to Christmas Tourneys. The boys going to DeKalb, Pekin, Bloomington, Sherrard, Taylorville, and Collinsville. The girls going to Dixon, Bloomington, and Mattoon. 

Oldest Tourneys in Illinois- Chuck Dayton in DeKalb for boys and Mattoon for girls.

History Lessons- Pekin (Dawdie Hawkins Gym), Collinsville (Virgil Fletcher Gym), and Taylorville (Dolph Stanley Gym) have gyms named for some of Illinois’ greatest coaching legends.

Streaks Scrapbook- Bumpy Nixon

The stories of Bumpy Nixon are probably the most intriguing stories of Galesburg basketball. If you are a Streaks fan, you have probably heard many stories about Bumpy. Some legends are true, some are false, and some we are uncertain about. 

The one thing everyone can agree about- Bumpy Nixon was one of the all-time best basketball players in Galesburg and Illinois history!

I have put some basic information together based on old newspaper clippings, records that still exist, conversations with some of his teammates, and unpublished interviews.  

Friday Fotos- Bumpy’s Last Game

Bumpy Nixon- Bumpy transferred to Galesburg HS from Quincy in the summer of 1958. He was leading scorer for the Streaks in both 1958-9 and 1959-60 season.

WB6 Update- Thru Dec 18

Girls WB6 Standings

1- Galesburg  5-0  (10-1)

2- Alleman     4-1  (9-2)

3- Sterling      3-1 (8-1)

4- Moline        3-2  (6-4)

5- Quincy       2-3  (5-4)

    Rock Island 2-3  (6-5)

7- UTHS         0-4  (0-9)

8- Geneseo     0-5  (2-7)

Boys WB6 Standings

1- Quincy       3-0   (7-0)

    Rock Island 3-0  (8-0)

    UTHS         3-0   (7-1)

4- Moline        2-1  (8-1)

5- Alleman     1-2   (1-8)

6- Sterling      0-3  (3-5)

    Galesburg   0-3  (4-6)

    Geneseo     0-3  (0-8)

Inside Hoops- Threes in NBA, College, WB6

The game of basketball has changed in the last twenty-five years. The game has seen an increase in the number of three’s taken, and it has seen a decrease in the number of mid-range two’s taken. 

I listened to a podcast that looked at this year’s NBA season to date. They shared that 42.3% of all NBA shots were three’s, and that 56% of the Celtics shots were three’s. Hearing this, it sent me on a mission to see what is going on in both men’s and women’s college basketball, as well as HS boy’s and girl’s basketball.

Old School Coaches- How Would You Change Your Sport

This Week’s Question

The IHSA (or IHSAA), has come to you and appointed you as the commissioner of the sport you coached. They have empowered you to make any change to the rules of your sport or the organization of the sport. What are changes that you would make?

Parents Playbook- Learn From A Pro Agent

I never dreamed an agent for pro basketball players would be a source of great advice for parents- but I was wrong! Quite simply a good agent helps their athletes grow and maximize their ability- and a good athletic parent is one who helps their son/daughters grow and maximize their ability!!

The other day I while walking the dogs, I was listening to a conversation between three NBA “experts” and an agent. The conversation really struck a cord with me as a former high school coach. The agents words would have been great advice for a parent of a high school athlete.

X/O’s- Do You Have A Layup Play?

As I watch games, I am amazed how few teams in crucial situations seem to have an “After Time Out” or “After FT” or just a deadball play to go to. The other night, I watched a tape of two really good teams in a 5 point games with 5 minutes to go. You know how many sets the two teams ran down the stretch? Zero!!!

At one of my son’s college stops, the team had a great set they ran. It seemed like every time they ran the play, they got a layup. My thought was,”Man, that is a great play, why don’t they run it more.” (Isn’t it great when a HS girls coach thinks they can analyze college basketball?!?!)

Part of the reason it was a great play, was that they didn’t run it often. The “layup play” was something that they may only run twice a game, and usually when they needed a basket in the second half. And they never ran it in games that were not close- they saved it. 

It seems like a lot of coaches that I watch act as if running a set is illegal. They never run sets. Why not have 3-4 sets that you keep to use in the big moments of a game. 

So the question- what do you have in your playbook to run in a pressure situation when you need a score. Here are three plays that are examples of that. I am not putting them out with idea that these are THE plays you should run, just examples of “layup plays.”

Sports Reporters- Memorable Stories- Part III

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.

I got such a good response from reporters, I have divided it into three parts. Thanks for sharing!

Matt Schuckman- Quincy (Muddy River Sports)

Andy Douglas nearly missed Rocky week. A senior shooting guard on the Quincy High School boys basketball team during the 1999-2000 season, Douglas twisted his ankle in practice and was going to have to sit out the Western Big 6 Conference game scheduled for a Friday night in late January.

Not until Mother Nature intervened.

Winter weather forced the game to be postponed, but because of both teams’ loaded schedules, the game couldn’t be played until the final Saturday of the regular season. By then, the WB6 championship was on the line with two state-ranked teams squaring off at Blue Devil Gym.

X/O’s- Stagger into Backdoor

 

Stagger for Three- Point guard dribbles away and the posts go set a stagger for the shooter to come up.

X/O’s- Get Guard Going Downhill

Games that I have watched on TV and in person, it seems like creating situations to get ball handler headed down hill is so important. So many actions I see are side to side vs headed down hill. I have put together a simple high ball screen designed to create some down hill opportunities or a high low option, and then a flat ball screen that creates a lot of space for the guard and a good pop opportunity for a skilled post player. 

Sports Reporters- Memorable Stories- Part II

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.

I got such a good response from reporters, I have divided it into two parts. Thanks for sharing!

Dan Eilts- Ottawa

I’ve seen thousands and thousands of athletic events from five-year old soccer to pro football, but no game will ever equal the spine tingling drama of the five overtime boys basketball game between Ottawa High and Geneseo High in the first round of the Class AA Rock Island Sectional in 1983. 

Ottawa eventually won the epic classic 84-79 and went on to edge Moline 42-41 to win the sectional title. 

Caitlyn Clark- Time Magazine Athlete of the Year

Here are some great stories on the Caitlyn Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes- enjoy!!

Time named Caitlyn Clark their athlete of the year. Their piece is outstanding.

Time Magazine- Caitlyn Clark

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