The 2024-5 Silver Streaks pressured their way to an outstanding 24-8 season. In the Western Big Six, Galesburg finished in 2nd with an 11-3 record. They raced thru the field at the Mattoon Christmas Tourney before dropping a close game in the championship to state power, Teutopolis. Galesburg finished the regular season ranked #13 in the final AP 3A State Poll, and were #9 in MaxPreps rankings.
The 2024-5 Streaks’ season was exciting and one that fans enjoyed. I asked some Streaks fans and media their impressions of the team and the season.
Andie Leibach
I was very impressed with her first team’s buy-in and commitment to their overall style of play. Lexi was able to establish a “never let up” defense that seemed to frustrate their opponents. Lexi had these girls playing HARD no matter what!
Jimmy Carr
It was really enjoyable to watch these young and I mean young ladies play. They played a team game and seem to enjoy each other.
Jason Wessels
There were so many things to enjoy about this years Streaks team! First, I absolutely loved their defensive intensity! Every game, every second, no matter who was on the floor the Streaks played so hard! You knew every night even if shots weren’t falling they had a chance to win due to their intensity on the defensive end! Their run and jump defense caused a lot of problems for teams! There was a stretch of four games when they had one or MULTIPLE 10 second calls in the game. It almost unheard of to have a streak of games to get a 10 second call!
I also loved watching this team grow throughout the year! When you start four sophomores and a senior and your first three key reserves are two juniors and a freshman, I think that qualifies as an extremely young team! On top of that you throw in a coach in her first year! This team got better each and every time out and ended the season with 24 wins and a regional title! The future is bright for Coach Demott and her Streaks! I’m excited to continue to watch them grow and see them reach their full potential!
Brett Wolfe
I really enjoyed the pace at which they played. Defensively, they hounded, attacked and pressure the opponent. It was really fun to watch the amount of ball pressure the Streaks could apply. Offensively, they pushed the ball down court and took advantage of opportunities. They could also be patient and work for a really good look. It was a big year of learning about tempo.
Jeanine Bryant
Like every other year, I enjoyed watching the girls grow individually and as teammates. A True Silver Streak Tradition. Their ability to move on from plays that didn't go their way showed a maturity not often seen, but remarkable in a team this young. The defense was stellar and SO MUCH FUN to watch. Yes, the points show on the board, and the rebounds are counted. But the distractions, the disruptions, and the deflections to the opponent's offense: a sight to behold and enjoy. Another Silver Streak Tradition.
Dave Dunn
Wow! Where to start? I appreciated that no matter who we were playing we were going to see effort. That trapping/pressing defense was a real equalizer when playing older or taller teams. I especially enjoyed seeing a consistent 8-10 player rotation on a regular basis. Our energy never wavered and just like clockwork we were able to wear down most teams. Watching players improve as the season went along was evidence in my mind of great coaching and culture. We never lacked for excitement from this fan’s standpoint.
Marla Clay
I enjoyed their “no quit” attitude, defensive tenacity, and their ability to play as one! Throughout the season, it was clear they understood the game plans, and were locked into the execution of those plans.
The game at Alleman comes to mind- what a great team win! Everyone contributed in that game with key defensive stops, huge rebounds, key baskets, and their ability to hold their composure in a hostile environment.
These Streaks were a pleasure to watch!!
Antonia Kisler
This year’s team connected so well together. They are a young varsity team, but they are so athletic. They keep up with older, more experienced teams. This team was able to play a fast game in transition, which they used to their advantage against other teams who couldn’t quite keep up. They overall looked like they enjoyed playing with each other and their energy was good too.
Jay Redfern
The intriguing thing about about high school basketball in particular is that there’s usually a lot of player turnover year after year, and that was especially true of this year’s team — having lost a lot of scoring and senior leadership from the 2023-24 team.
And while new faces — including players AND the head coach —made their own marks this season, the 2024-25 Streaks carried on the tradition and much of the same look that has made Galesburg girls basketball one of the state’s most successful and respected programs in Illinois history.
I loved energy, and at least from my seat in the upper balcony, the commarderie and unselfishness this team display nearly every time they took the floor.
Sara Wood
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