Game 97: Galesburg vs. Geneseo (Girl's Basketball)

Game 97
(2/16/10)
Galesburg vs. Geneseo (Girl's Basketball)
Class 3A Galesburg Regional

This Regional is wide open. For some reason, though, the (#2) Maple Leafs scared me more than top seeded Sterling. I saw Sterling play a couple times in December and was none too impressed. Even though both Geneseo and Sterling have really good records, they have not faced the competition that Galesburg has.

Galesburg/Geneseo was scheduled to tip off at 8:00, following the Rock Island/Sterling game. Rocky beat Dixon in the play-in game to face the (#1) seeded Golden Warriors. I arrived at John Thiel Gymnasium around 5:00, to get things set up, hit the hospitality room and just unwind before the broadcast.

I had to play MacGyver again before this game. Gregg Hitchcock of Network1Sports used the term when I had troubles and had to experiment when I was at the Sterling Shootout in December. Now everytime I have to piece things together untraditionally, I say I had to "MacGyver" it. What a great show that was!

This MacGyvering involved my cord that allows me to play my pregame interviews. When using my RemoteMix 4, I can use a 1/8" to 1/8", since there is a plug-in that allows me to do that. However, in my Marti games, I must use a mic cord, that has an 1/8" plug on the other end to plug into the recorder. You may recall, I believe I left my 1/8" to XLR (mic cord) at Wharton Field House last week (I think).

The piecing together of a couple cords and adapters worked, thankfully. During the last game at Galesburg I had to play the interviews back by holding the recorder up to a microphone. It worked, but not something I wanted to do again.

After getting everything put up, it was hospitality room time. Galesburg always puts on a good spread. It's just a solid hospitality room, nothing outstanding, but never disappointing. Today there were subs (from Pizza House I believe), Kitchen Cooked (my favorite) potato chips, some cookies, water, and Pepsi. I scarfed down a couple small subs, some chips, and a water. Also inside, was GHS assistant baseball coaches Mike Schwab and Jesse Hines, as well as Jake Miller. Assistant football coach Brad Swanson later joined. Discussion revolved around the baseball nets in the balcony of the gym that were hanging right over the bleachers. After we left the hospitality room, they put the nets back up and out of reaching distance for fans in the stands.

Galesburg assistant coach Jacque Howard came up and dropped stats off. She would be doing interviews for the stations instead of coach Massey tonight. Every once in a while, he will have his assistant do the interviews.

Jimmie Carr arrived shortly afterwards to take in the Rock Island/Sterling game which had just tipped off. It was a close game throughout the first half, but Rocky would take it to the top seed, and win handily, 60-36.

Just before halftime of the Rocky/Sterling game, I conducted my pregame interview with Jacque. She said Sadee Hamilton may play. She has missed nearly a month due to a back injury, but has progressed over the past week. She would play.

As I went back to our broadcast booth, the WGRG radio guys showed up. WGRG was a not-for-profit station formed about 5-10 years ago in Geneseo, then later donated to the school. There were three of them tonight, and we had room in the booth but would be pretty tight. They decided to just sit in the top of the bleachers next to the booth and we helped them get an extension cord to run down there.

One of the WGRG broadcasters looked familiar. As I got a closer look, it was because it was my cousin, Michael Atwell. He was the starting quarterback for the Class 5A runner-up Geneseo football team, and was also a state finalist for the High School Heisman. We talked for some time during the end of the first game, and told me that they had their choice to broadcast this regional game or the boy's game, and chose this one. Michael has narrowed his college choices down to Notre Dame, St. Louis University, and Washington University in St. Louis. If he heads to Washington, he will play football.

We all got a laugh out of the three-point showdown. Galesburg's Jessica Howard has made the 7th most three-pointers in IHSA history this season....was NOT a part of the shootout. Instead, the Streaks sent four girls that don't primarily shoot the three-ball. Likewise, Geneseo did the same thing. Even funnier, though, the four girls from Geneseo went a combined (2-12) the ENTIRE season from outside the arc. As a matter of fact, three of the girls had not attempted a single three all season!

Galesburg freshman Jessica Lieber knocked down 9 three-pointers to advance. Also moving on was Geneseo's Kelsey Burress and Jena Rice, and Galesburg's Megan Young won via a shootout with her teammate Sarah Nelson.

Before the game, Regional Radio's Nathan Baliva interviewed me for his pregame show, giving his listeners a take on the Galesburg season, and how exciting the fast-paced three-point shooting has been. He also asked me about the quest for 100 games, which is quickly approaching the milestone broadcast.

Nathan and I were talking earlier about the three-point shooting, so I wanted to dig up the home court stats. According to my figures, Galesburg had made an average of 12.1 three-pointers a game on this floor. The least amount made in a game was seven, which occurred twice. Unfortunately, the Streaks didn't reach that average tonight.

Geneseo had run a 1-3-1 zone defense all season, but tonight, switched things up. The Maple Leafs ran a 2-3 zone, which gave Galesburg fits all night. It seemed the Streaks didn't get the shots they wanted to, and finished just (7-43) from the three-point line, one of their worst marks of the season.

The Streaks led 13-5 after the first quarter, as the Galesburg press was too much for the Maple Leafs early on. Geneseo turned the ball over 14 times in the first eight minutes, and could not buy a bucket early on.

Geneseo scored 14 points in the second quarter, outpacing the Streaks by a point. Galesburg led at the break (26-19). Galesburg jumped out to their biggest lead of the game after three quarters, leading by ten (43-33).

That double-digit lead quickly diminished in the fourth quarter. Geneseo made a run, and most of it came at the free throw line. With the clock stopped, and the Maple Leafs continually going to the charity stripe, the big lead completely disappeared.

The visitors (despite wearing their home uniforms as the higher seed), would turn things around and lead late. The officials were not allowing any physical play, something the Streaks don't often encounter in the Western Big 6. With that, came a big disparity in fouls and free throws. For the game, Geneseo attempted 42 free throws, to Galesburg's 19.

Down the stretch, the officiating started to get inconsistent. What was a foul throughout the first 30 minutes, was allowed in the last two. The worst of it all came with 0:31 to play, when Galesburg's Sara Baker drove into the paint, drew contact where both girls took a tumble and nothing was called. After they fell to the floor, Galesburg was whistled for a travel call. This infuriated the Galesburg side, and assistant coach Jay Barshinger was assessed a technical foul.

The inconsistencies came to a head at the end of the game. With a six-point Geneseo lead in the final seconds, the Maple Leafs drove to the basket for a layup, when Baker extended her right arm into the back of the Geneseo player, with 0:01 on the clock. With her momentum and the help of the hand she fell hard into the mat behind the basket. This should have been called an intentional foul, but the final buzzer sounded and Geneseo claimed the victory, 62-56. Now it was Geneseo head coach Steve Brucher who was upset with the no-call in what could have been a dangerous fall for his player. He slammed his clipboard to the floor, then turned to Galesburg athletic director Ralph Henning and said something before shaking the Galesburg players hands. He also said some words to Galesburg coach Evan Massey when they shook hands.
Officiating did not win or lose this game, but it was very inconsistent in the final minute, and the way the game was called changed after 31 minutes.

The Maple Leafs overcame 37 turnovers to win the game, but also forced 27 Galesburg turnovers. Allison Wiese scored a game-high 21 points for the Leafs, and was joined in double figures by; Jena Rice (12), Devan Griffin (11), and Allie Hudson (10). Geneseo went (26-42) from the free throw line. This season they had only shot (53.7%) from the line. Galesburg was led by Jessica Howard and Sara Baker with 13 points each.

Galesburg will lose three seniors; Sara Baker, Maddy Boyer, and Shelby Pacheco. When asked about next year's plans using the "system", Massey didn't give too much information on the plans just yet, though it seems with the cast returning it will be done once again.

The Quest File Notes
Game 97
Date: 2/16/10
Result: Geneseo wins an ugly and sloppy game, knocking out Galesburg, 62-56
Miles: 100