Streaks Scrapbook- Girls 1995 Sweet 16

1995 Silver Streaks

Sweet 16   

29-3   (State Rank #6)

The 1995 Streaks were the first girls basketball team to qualify for State, winning the Sectional and making it to the Sweet 16. To fully understand the 1995 Streaks and their season, you have to look back.

In 1993 the Streaks went 26-4, won the WB6 with a perfect 10-0 record, and were ranked #7 in the State. The 1993 Streaks won their Regional, and advanced to the Limestone, where they faced the host Limestone Rockets. Earlier in the year, the Streaks had beaten Limestone by 20 points at Galesburg, but lost the first game of the Sectional to Limestone by 10 points. Stef Mitchell as a sophomore was the second leading scorer on that team. 

Pete Carril- The Smart Take From The Strong

Pete Carril became famous as the Princeton basketball coach in the 1990's. He is the originator of the famous "Princeton offense" that drove other teams nuts with all of its backdoor cuts. In his book The Smart Take From the Strong, Carril looks at what he thinks is important in evaluating a player.

1913 Galesburg: State Champs with Best Player in the State

Not the Silver Streaks

The 1913 Galesburg basketball team was not the Silver Streaks. The nickname of the Silver Streaks was not coined until 1935. By 1930, the boys basketball teams were the Red Devils, while the other GHS sports teams were the Tigers. There is no evidence that in 1913 GHS teams had any nicknames. 

Galesburg Athletic Director with 1913 State Championship Trophy.

Massey Quiz #20- Galesburg Places

 

I have fifteen Galesburg pictures of the past and present. There may be pictures of places, people, monuments, parts of buildings, and even more. The quiz is designed to celebrate how wonderful Galesburg is, and test your knowledge of our community. Enjoy and have fun!!

The answers are at the end of the quiz. Keep track of your score and read exactly what your score indicates. If you would like- share your score on the Facebook or Massey Blog under the comments. 

Coaches’ Corner: Missing FT Intentionally

Coach Anderson- If you are in the game long enough, you could very well be faced with the following situation. You’re down 3 and your opponent just fouled you with only 3-4 seconds left, and you are shooting 2 free throws.

1912 Galesburg: Despite 3 Tourney Losses, Takes 2nd in State

Trivia questions for you…

What team did not win their District but still went to State?

What team lost a total of 3 games in during the State series but took 2nd in State?

The answer to both questions is the 1912 Galesburg basketball team. 

Galesburg High School’s boys basketball team finished 1911-1912 season with a 14-5 record and finished in second place at the State Tourney at Peoria. 

Coaches’ Corner: Going For Three vs MM or Zone Defense

Probably every coach has a go to play to get a three vs man to man defense. Maybe 70% of coaches have a go to play to get a three vs zone defenses. The tough thing is at the end of game when you need a three and you don’t know if they will be mm or zone. You have to have something that will work vs. mm or zone

HOF Insights: Evaluating Players

EVALUATING PLAYERS- As you look back at making player decisions about playing role (starting, subbing, sitting) or keeping or cutting- were there characteristics or hidden skills that influenced your decisions? What were examples of characteristics or hidden skills that made some players more valuable than maybe people on the outside realized?

Streaks Alumni Profile: John Watson 1992

John Watson comes from one of Galesburg’s all-time best basketball families. His father (John) was a coach at Costa JH, and younger sister (Molly) and younger brother (Jordan) were both great guards for GHS. If there was a 3 on 3 tourney, they would be a tough family to beat. 

John was a great, long range shooter. While the three point arc was in effect at the time he was in high school, the shot was not encouraged the way it is today. Most high school teams in the early ‘90’s might shoot just 5-10 total threes in a game, whereas today they are shooting 15-25 threes per game. John hit 8 threes in a game back then, if he had played in today’s era, one can easily imagine him making 10 or more threes in game. 

GHS Teacher’s Last Lesson: William Allen’s Sacrifice in World War II

 

William Allen- Knox grad, GHS teacher

“That’s another shocking thing about this war- a hero, contrary to fiction and Hollywood, seldom dies a hero’s death. It’s just an unlucky hit which gets him when he doesn’t even have a chance to fight back.”

U.S. Soldier, William Allen describing death on the battlefield. 

Inside Hoops- Offensive Rebounds, Fake HO, and More

It is exciting that basketball season has gotten started. Yes, I have gotten out to several games in person, and lots of TV games. Here are some early season things that I have observed:

1955 Illinois Boys Basketball State Tourney

Inside the Huddle: Free Throw Shooting in Practice

FREE THROW SHOOTING

How much time in practice do you spend on free throws? When in practice do you work on free throws? Do you have favorite free throw drills? 

Streaks Alumni Profile: Kristen Watters Adams 1985

The Yearbook sums up Kristen’s career!!

Kristen Watters is one of greatest athletes in Silver Streak history. As a cross country runner, she finished 5th, 6th, and 7th at the State meet. ALL of the Chicago suburbs were in her class. In some sports there can be 10-15 events, in cross country there is only one event. 

Kristen Watters was First Team All-State three years in a row!! In the area, Kris won big invitationals often by 2 minutes over the second place finishers as she dominated the fields. She held the course record on most every course she ran. She trained with our boys team, and was good enough to be the 5th or 6th runner on a Streaks boys team that was State ranked.

1985 Illinois Girls AA State Tourney

Coach K- Leading With the Heart

Coach K’s book, Leading With The Heart is a book focused on leadership. It could apply to how to be a leader in a family, at school, in business, or in sports. 

Often as coaches when we look for books to help us with our team, it is easy for us to focus on or look for books that share X/O’s to help us build our offense or our defense. The reality is that a book like Coach K’s really is giving coaches much more important information that X/O’s, it is giving information on how to develop a foundation for a program. This book is a valuable tool for coaches and for players who want to become leader. 

1924 Knox vs Lombard: The Road to the Shot Clock Started in Galesburg

Galesburg’s Armory

To say the game of basketball has changed through the years would be a huge understatement. There have been changes to the ball itself and to many of the rules. Basic things have changed- the distance of a free throw line, how many points for a made basket, allowing dribbling, allowing more than two fouls, and not allowing players to stand under the basket on offense. 

One of the biggest concerns in basketball has been about the speed and flow of the game. Throughout the history of basketball, it seems coaches have wanted to slow the game down and have more control. The latest attempt to force coaches to play faster has been the advent of the shot clock. Starting next year, high school’s will have a shot clock. 

Basketball historians cite a game played at the Galesburg Armory on January 22, 1924 as being a game that started the movement to “modern basketball.” 

Slappin’ Glass: Analytics with Ken Pomeroy and Jordan Sperber

Pomeroy and Sperber are deep into basketball analytics. You may say you aren’t an “analytics coach”, I would dispute that. Every coach makes countless decisions based on their sense of analytics. 

** Who do you send to the foul line for a technical- analytics.

** Why do a you tell a player to quit shooting threes- analytics.

** Why do you sit certain players at the end of a game- analytics.

Massey Basketball Blog: Vintage Gear, Galesburg Basketball

One of my favorite blog activities is to research Galesburg basketball history. I have done a lot of stories about past great GHS girls and boys basketball teams. And this winter, I plan to do even more stories. 

I have come up with another way to celebrate Galesburg boys and girls basketball’s tradition. 

Coaches’ Corner: Last Shots from OB’s

Coach Bob Anderson- Williamsfield

Baseline OB Lob

This is something you can use with .3 seconds left and out under the basket. As we know, you only hve time to tip the ball. 

Coaches’ Corner- Last Shot Thoughts

Coach Anderson- Williamsfield

You’re coming out of a time out and it’s your ball. Here are some things you need to think about….

Massey Quiz #19- Galesburg Places, What Were They?

There are fifteen pictures taken around Galesburg. 

In the “old days”, they were businesses, schools, or city/county buildings. 

You are being asked what these places were in the “old days.” 

Post your score in comments. 

Athletes’ Insights: Classes, Idols, and Motivation

“Athletes’ Insights” is a feature that I am going to do this winter. This is a group of about 10 athletes. I plan to ask them to share their thoughts every two weeks throughout the winter. I think it will fun to hear from athletes. 

HOF Insights: Developing a Scouting Plan

SCOUTING- How did you handle or divide up scouting responsibilities? How did you handle when you had Friday and Saturday games? Did you create something to give to the players- paper or video? What info did you want as a coach, and what info did you want the players to have? For a Friday game, when would you have started going over the scouting with players? How did you give the scouting to players- walk thru, film, meetings. 

Girls Wrestling at GHS: Breaking Barriers and Building Futures

The Galesburg HS wrestling program is going thru exciting times. They have some great coaches who are highly invested in their student-athletes, they are coming off just recently having a State Champion, and their numbers are growing each year. It is a program that young people want to join. 

One of the most exciting things going on in the wrestling program is the recent addition of girls wrestling. This is a story that I wanted to do, and it certainly didn’t disappoint me. I got to talk to people involved in the wrestling program about girls wrestling. Their excitement is contagious!

Carolyn Kelley- Streaks Girls Basketball in the 1970's

(This article was originally published on June 19, 2024)

Carolyn Kelley was an outstanding student at Galesburg High School. Carolyn and her brother after college eventually went into the "family business," education. Their father was in higher education at Carl Sandburg College, and their mother was a grade school teacher at Hitchcock. Scott went onto become a professor at the University of Kentucky, and Carolyn became a professor at the University of Wisconsin, as well as an author of several books and numerous publications. While Carolyn was a very impressive high school student when she graduated in 1978,  her career as an educator was even more impressive. 

I asked Carolyn if she would do a Q/A with me partly because I wanted to give myself a chance to bring up Wisconsin's crushing win over her brother's helpless Kentucky team in the 2015 Final Four. 

Mainly I felt Carolyn could give an interesting perspective about playing basketball at GHS in the 1970's during Streaks girls basketball's early years. I especially feel she has a unique perspective having played as girls basketball was getting started, while Scott was playing boys basketball during Galesburg's glory days. 

Carolyn summed up the importance of looking back on the beginning of girls basketball in this way-- "I think in the current context, when women's sports are starting to get a fan base and more attention, it is important to remember the history of unequal support."

Inside the Huddle: Scrimmage Techniques

SCRIMMAGE TECHNIQUES

How much time do you spend going 5 on 5 full-court? Do you usually just go so many possessions or go extended times? Whether going 5 on 5 full or half court, do you have some favorite things you do to produce focus on something or to increase competitiveness?

Streaks Basketball Alum: Jordan Watson 2001

What were some of your favorite classes/teachers at GHS? 

I took a Political Science class with Mr. Busse my freshman year.  There was a Presidential Election that year making the class very interesting.  I was very interested in politics as my dad was an elected official as the Knox County Coroner.   I did not like math, but Mrs. Wolfe changed that.  Mrs. Aten taught a real fun class…Coach Peachey made science fun ………It’s hard to pinpoint a favorite teacher because I had so many good ones, including you, Coach Massey.