Game 44: Peoria Central @ Galesburg (Girl's Basketball)

Game 44
Peoria Central @ Galesburg (Girl's Basketball)
Galesburg Mid-Winter Classic
12/11/10

Once again at the Galesburg Mid-Winter Classic, I was running behind. This same tardiness hit me last year. Normally, I am at the gym a couple hours before a broadcast.

These 9:00 a.m. games get me. Here is example "A" of why it is a pain in my rear living an hour away from my "home" games. While I wasn't late, per se, I was still rushed when arriving to John Thiel Gymnasium.



I had to stop in Monmouth to pick up the equipment for the night game at Metamora, which slowed me down a few minutes. My arrival at the gym came about 8:30, with my broadcast beginning at 8:50. All of my equipment was set up from last night's game, so I just needed to start up the computer and get settled in.

Getting up for a 9:00 a.m. has to be difficult, especially in a tournament. Teams from far away do not bring many fans, and even the hometown crowd is sparse this early.

Playing in front of a light crowd early in the morning certainly did not effect the Galesburg Silver Streaks. The Streaks would shoot their way into the record books again, coming one three-pointer shy from tying the IHSA record for three-pointers made in a game (20). Galesburg is one of three teams that holds that record, doing so last season against Bloomington...on a Saturday.

If memory serves correctly, the Galesburg girls seemed to have their hottest shooting on Saturday games. That Bloomington game, the nets were on fire for a Saturday game against Dunlap last year, etc. The Streaks finished 19-51 from outside the arc.

Jessica Howard, who just surpassed 1,000 career points, would break the school record for three's made in a game (9). The previous record was eight, set up Stephanie Mitchell in 1994. Howard finished with a game-high 31 points in Galesburg's 82-60 win over the Peoria High Lions.

Galesburg has a promotion where fans wearing a McDonalds/Silver Streaks T-shirt receive a triple cheeseburger if the team makes 13 three-pointers in a game. The Streaks reached that number in the first half, the first time that number has been met before halftime. Galesburg was 13-27 outside the three-point line in the first half.

The Lions had just seven players available, with a couple girls not with the team, as they were taking the ACT. Central struggled against the Galesburg defense, turning the ball over 28 times. Jemia Carpenter scored 23 points, and LaCorsica Metts added 20 points for Peoria Central, who dropped to 5-4.

Game 44 Miles: 50