Game 26: Galesburg vs. (Chicago) Washington (Boy's Basketball)

Game 26
Galesburg vs. (Chicago) Washington (Boy's Basketball)
Galesburg Tournament
11/27/10

Once again, the tournament was delayed almost an hour. This was mostly due to teams not giving up at the end. I credit the fight by teams that are down by 20 points, but in some cases I found it a little ridiculous. In a later game, one team (down 18 points) were still fouling with 12 seconds remaining. This was seen throughout the tournament.



The Galesburg/Washington game was scheduled to tip off at 12:15, but did not start until after 1:00. Before the game, my partner Jimmie Carr was seeking out the Washington head coach. There was a team in the bleachers on the opposite end of our broadcast booth that I assumed was Washington. There were no coaches, though. Just before the previous game ended, I noticed a couple coaches walk in, and WGIL's Jim Lee headed over, and Jimmie followed suit. I had talked to coach Reynolds earlier in the morning, conducting our interview outside of the hospitality room.

The mascot of Washington confused me. I was calling them the Minutemen, because I had seen that emblazoned on their jerseys in the game the day prior. Jimmie was calling them the Patriots. I looked at the IHSA website, and they were listed as the Patriots. After the game, one of the players was wearing a letterman jacket with Minutemen on the back.

After the first quarter, Galesburg jumped out to a 21-4 lead over Washington. Washington was a struggling team, and it was an expected double-digit win for the Silver Streaks. Once again, Brandon Thompson scored in double figures...in the first eight minutes. This game, he would finish with 19 points, putting him at 100 points in four games.

Chad Thompson scored 12 points, and both Dalton Davis and Ryan "Bucket" McElmurry scored 7 points. The Silver Streaks were 11-13 from the free throw line, and committed just 10 turnovers, while forcing 32. Markease Hargrove scored a team-high 13 points for the Minutemen/Patriots. Galesburg won by a running clock, 68-28.

Jimmie and I discussed on the air about the running clock, which is just used in tournament play. In the various instances I have seen it used this season, it has been done different. I have only seen it instituted in the third quarter in one game, all other games in the fourth quarter when the score differential reaches 30 points. In two games, I have seen the clock stop in the final seconds to allow a free throw shooter to attempt both shots (both times, it was the winning team). I am guessing there is no set running clock rule, and how I understand it, is that it's at the discretion of the tournament host (it's not an IHSA rule).

After the game, I headed back to the hospitality room, and talked with WGIL's Jim Lee, and Galesburg assistant baseball coach Steve Schwab. Schwab is very excited about the Streaks baseball team, with many key players returning from a Supersectional team. He made the comment, "I don't know why I'm talking baseball in November." I replied, "The same reason I talk basketball in June."

Schwab also told a story that I had never known, that former Galesburg standout basketball player Victor Davis (now at Illinois Wesleyan), was a stud pitcher in his younger days. Apparently, Davis was topping 90 mph on his fastball as a freshman! WOW!

I dined on more Pizza House sub sandwiches. They are oh, so delicous, but I think I have had my fair share of them for a long time...or at least until the Galesburg Mid-Winter tournament coming up!

Game 26 miles: 0