Steve Bryant- UCLA Shirt & Loyola Upset

Front of UCLA t-shirt

Normally on Facebook I do “T-Shirt Tuesdays.” Today’s t-shirt has a long story that needs to be told. I received this t-shirt from Steve and Jeanine Bryant many years ago. Steve’s son was a grad student at UCLA, and the Bryants happened to visit when John Wooden was doing autographs at the UCLA Bookstore. Knowing I was a big John Wooden fan, Steve got me an autographed John Wooden t-shirt. For about 30 years, Steve and Jeanine did that kind of thing for me, and did that kind of thing for the Streaks girls basketball program.

Back with John Wooden’s autograph

Just this past year I asked Steve how he became such a big Streaks girls basketball fan. It all started when Steve was hired to be custodian of Wicall Gym. He said, “I was so impressed with how your girls came out for practice and immediately went to work. They didn’t stand around, mess around, or talk- they just got to work.” We have always done some form of “Prepractice Routine” when we come on the floor- shooting and ball handling. We won Steve over. 

2000 Senior posing the Bryants

I don’t know when it started but at some point everyone knew Steve was in the crowd. I don’t think he ever yelled at the refs. I know he never coached from the stands and he never yelled at the players. He did yell FOR THE PLAYERS. But everyone knew he was there because home or away when the ref got ready to toss up the ball, Steve would yell, “Hi Yo Silver.” And the crowd would respond with, “Away.” 

2000 Streaks posing at Bryants

It sounds silly but I think it was intimidating for the opposing teams. Dixon Supersectional in 1996, Belvidere heard the huge crowd yell it, as did UTHS several years later at Dixon. Redbird Arena, the suburban schools all heard that at the beginning. I really feel it calmed our team and rattled the other teams.

Steve Bryant & Allen Massey serving food.

For several years the Bryants hosted a preseason lunch for the players. It was between a morning and an afternoon practice. And for several years we had our team picture in their driveway. Steve and Jeanine were basically the ma and pa to the players. 

Steve and Jeanine went everywhere. They drove hours to team camps. There were fixtures at our summer league but also regulars for our annual trips to Maine West. During the season, there they were at Maine South, Quincy, Maria, New Trier, and Buffalo Grove. Wherever the Streaks went, the Bryants were there. They became supporters and friends of the Alleman, Illini West, Maine South, and Maria coaching staffs- except when they played Galesburg. They supported girls basketball. That is why they were elected into the IBCA Hall of Fame as friends of basketball. 

Relaxing & watching highlight tape. 

Steve became particularly busy during the post season tourney. When we won Regionals, Sectonals, and Supersectionals, Steve was ready to go. The day after the big win, he hit the road to pick up VHS tapes of our next opponents. I would have made arrangements with coaches the days before that if we won, he would get tapes. So when we won, he would take off often around 5:00am to start picking up tapes. This may seem weird today but back then there was no Hudl and no tape exchange. 

Loyola Scout- Their Individuals

Steve’s most famous adventure was in 1999. We won the Supersectional at NIU in DeKalb. Our Elite 8 opponent was going to be Loyola. Loyola was ranked #1 in Illinois, and ranked #1 in USA Today nationally. Loyola had won the last two State Championships. And we had lost to Loyola in the Elite 8 the year before. When the IHSA had released the draw for the State Tourney back in December, I have to admit there was disappointment. 

Loyola Scout- Their offense

The good news was that because of all the success Loyola had, it was not hard to get tapes. Steve took off for the suburbs on Tuesday morning at 5am. He took a tour of the suburbs picking up tapes. Some schools not only gave him their game vs. Loyola but 2-3 others. Steve was great for the job because he drove very fast. Steve arrived back to Galesburg shortly after noon on Tuesday afternoon. Back in those days, when we won a Super, I was given a “professional day.” That meant I spent the morning on the phone talking to coaches and getting their impressions of Loyola, and firming up our plans for the week leading up to State. At 12:30, I started watching Loyola game tapes. 

Loyola Scout- Our Defense Plan

We always on the Tuesday after the Super practiced at 7pm at Knox. We practiced late so I could keep watching game tape and start the scout report. The tradition was that I would have an assistant pick up Rib Shack carry out for the staff. We would meet at 6pm at Knox, eat Rib Shack, and go over the game plan. 

By the time we left on Thursday for Redbird Arena and our practice session, I had watched at least 10 Loyola games and talked to a dozen coaches. And the assistants had watched lots of film too. There is always a danger of “over-coaching” and giving the players too much. But we were playing the #1 team in America. We had a 7 page scout report. 

Loyola Scout- Their OB’s

When you play big games, I learned you are better off sticking with who you are and what you practice. Offensively we did just that. Our bread and butter that year was “Help” where Sarah Larson set a flex screen for Megan Pacheco to cut off. After screening, Sarah popped out. That meant either Megan got a post up on the cut or Sarah was one on one outside for a 15 footer or her shot fake and drive. 

Defensively at the suggestion of Derril Kipp of Maine West, we decided to switch back and forth from straight man to man like we always did, and a diamond and 1 so we could try to defend Loyola’s great post play. 

In the first half, we competed but trailed, it did not look like it was going to be a close game. It looked like a repeat of the year before. After all, they were #1 in the Nation. 

Loyola Scout- Their Defense

A friend shared a story about the half-time and Steve Bryant. Evidently some fans were allowed to go outside and have a cigarette if they needed. Or if they wanted to go out and second guess the coaches, it was a great spot to do that. 

The friend told the story this way- We were out there and a fan said- “Here we go again, Massey still hasn’t figured out how to beat Loyola.” At that point Steve Bryant pulled out a $100 bill from his wallet and said to the guy, “Put your money where your mouth is, $100 says we win.” The guy said no, and Steve shook his head and walked away. I didn’t hear this story until 20 years later but it still makes me smile.

For those who don’t know, we won on a buzzer beater by Sarah Larson. You guessed it, we ran “Help”, Megan missed, Jenny Z tipped it, Sarah grabbed, and Sarah put it in. And Galesburg beat the two-time state champs and the #1 team in USA Today- this is the biggest upset in Illinois girls basketball history!

One of the first things I did after that win was to give Steve Bryant a copy of the Loyola scouting report that he helped put together. The players won the game, but Steve Bryant sure helped them win the game. He still has it in his garage / man cave!! And if I had heard the story about the $100, I would have given him a $100 then too. Sadly today I am on a fixed income!

So thanks Steve and Jeanine for all you have done for me and for Streaks basketball. And a special thanks for putting together the Loyola scout report!!!