Game 29: Monmouth-Roseville @ Orion (Girl's Basketball)

Game 29
(12/16/09)
Monmouth-Roseville @ Orion (Girl's Basketball)

Originally a night off, we picked up some holiday tournament play on the radio stations for the United Red Storm, enabling me to add another game this week. Due to our station's Freezing for Food campaign in Monmouth this week, I am a few steps behind, trying to play catch up. Unfortunately, I feel very unprepared for this broadcast.

With our Galesburg boy's basketball broadcaster (Gary Petersen) hanging on to all of that broadcast equipment, the station is not very prepared for three different sets of equipment, but are able to make it by. Late in the afternoon, I was able to pack up my equipment, with John Ring having another set of equipment for the United Red Storm girl's and boy's broadcasts this week.

Ran into a major problem along the way. Our second cell phone for broadcast use was MIA. I believe it to be with the Galesburg equipment bag with cell phone headsets as backup. My phone is a Razor, which has a USB port instead of the small connection I need. There is a piece that can connect the cord to a Razor, so that would have to be picked up.

Running a little late, I had plenty of time to get this piece. Bound for Galesburg's U.S. Cellular, this was the obvious place to go, since they carry the Razor phones (or am I that out of date, now? LOL). They did not, which presented a big conundrum. If nothing else, I would have to hold a cell phone to my ear for the entire broadcast. Been done before, but one of my least favorite things to do!

I ran over to the Sandburg Mall to Radio Shack, and quickly scanned their cell phone accessories wall. After a minute, I found exactly what I was looking for. I hurredly left for Orion, needing gas on the way. Made a gas run in Alpha, while also needing some Gatorade.

Made it to the Orion High School gym in plenty of time, just a couple minutes before the JV tipoff. Some may call me anal about getting to the games early, but in a situation as this night presented, it was key. You see, my unpreparedness was to the extreme, as I had run out of scorebook and Hibbett's in Galesburg was still out of scorebooks, so I had to print sheets out, and they were not filled out. This added an additional set of work to finish before the broadcast went on the air.

Set up went well, although I lost my score sheets, so I spent extra time creating a scorebook page on a blank sheet of paper. Alas, during the second half of the JV game I found them on the floor, so I filled them out again. Meanwhile, I had to charge my phone, as it was on red. My phone would have to be fully charged so I could make a consecutive 2-hour phone call during the broadcast. This is probably the most helter skelter, unprepared broadcast of my career!!!

At halftime of the JV game, I spoke with Titans coach Jim Cole. We joked about his team's record. One local paper has the team at (9-1), while another has them at (9-0). The Titans actual record coming in is (8-1). I also learned coach Cole is updating his stats on MaxPreps, which becomes about the first good turn of events on the night, as I can keep that page up during the broadcast.

Went over and talked with Orion head coach John McBride. His team is off to a (3-4) start, but has a nice win over state-ranked Annawan. He says his team has been pretty inconsistent. The Chargers have a lot of talent, and experience back, so its my belief things will turn around for this team, and they could be scary during the second half.

A brutal offensive start for both teams, as the game stays tied at 2-2 for much of the first quarter. Orion did not score a field goal until the (0:40) mark in the opening frame. After one quarter, it was 6-4 Chargers.

Scoring picked up in the second quarter, with host Orion taking a 19-17 lead into the locker room. They had led by five points in the final seconds, before Rebecca Gillen spotted up for a three on the wing and drained it at the buzzer. She scored 13 of the Titans 17 first half points.

Orion kept their two-point lead after three quarters, leading 31-29, despite a turnover differential in the double-digits throughout most of the second half. In the fourth quarter, the Chargers jumped out to a four point lead, but that fell quickly, and in the final two minutes, the Titans made a big rally, and outscored the hosts 16-6. Monmouth-Roseville played their best basketball in the last three munutes and won 45-37. The Titans forced 27 turnovers, while committing just 13.

Rebecca Gillen scored a game-high 20 points, and was the only Titan in double-figures. Orion was paced by Megan Blumenshein's 14 points, and Kelly Hutton added 10 points. The Titans went (9-10) from the free throw line.

The Quest File Notes
Game 29
Date: 12/16/09
Result: Monmouth-Roseville mounts huge 4th quarter rally for 45-37 win over Orion
Miles: 166