Galesburg High School

Bad second quarter leads to GHS girls’ first loss

Galesburg could not overcome a second-quarter collapse in Sterling on Dec. 4, and the Silver Streaks girls basketball team lost its first game of the season, 47-42, to the Golden Warriors.

The Streaks opened with an 11-8 lead in the first quarter, but Sterling tied the game with a 3-pointer. From there, the Golden Warriors — led by 3-pointers from Alivia Gibson — continued a 14-point run to take control.

Second-quarter surge puts Sterling in control

Grace Herchenroder broke Galesburg’s drought with a field goal at the 3:12 mark of the second quarter, but Sterling kept finding open looks and converting. The Golden Warriors took a 32-17 lead into halftime.

Given the Streaks’ dominant performances in their first six games, Sterling’s lead was far from secure. Everything that went wrong in the second quarter started going right in the third.

Galesburg storms back in the third

Zaniyah Carter and Jozalyn Kilgore opened the quarter with baskets, followed by a bucket and free throw from Khloe May to cut into the lead. It was a familiar scenario for Sterling, which had led Rock Island by 14 earlier this season before eventually losing.

Zaniyah Carter, 5, shown in action against Central High School, scored nine points and had five rebounds against Sterling Dec. 4.

Galesburg’s surge was interrupted by a steal and score from Sterling’s Nia Harris, but points from Ella Herchenroder, Kilgore and Taylor Herchenroder brought the Streaks back to within 38-33. Carter added two free throws to close the quarter at 38-35.

Neither team played well in the fourth, with turnovers, fouls and missed shots keeping the score tight. With Sterling leading 45-42 in the final seconds, Galesburg had the ball under the basket but turned it over. Harris sank two free throws to seal the 47-42 win.

Carter led Galesburg with nine points and five rebounds. Ella Herchenroder had eight points, Kilgore seven, and Eleanor Johnson added six points. Kilgore led the Streaks with eight rebounds, and Johnson had five.

Harris finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds for Sterling, while Gibson added 12 points and five rebounds.

Galesburg outrebounded Sterling 28-26. The Streaks shot 38 percent from the field, 17 percent on 3-pointers and 60 percent at the free-throw line. They committed 15 turnovers.

The loss drops Galesburg to 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the Western Big 6. Sterling is 1-1 overall and in conference play.

Galesburg will play at Moline at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 6, then return home for a 7 p.m. game Dec. 11 against Quincy.

GHS girls, boys weekend basketball schedules change

The games for Dec. 6 — girls vs. Moline and boys vs. Rockford Jefferson — have been moved to accommodate the funeral and visitation for Galesburg High School teacher Jordan Ball, which will be held at 3 p.m. Dec. 7.

GHS Athletic Director Nick Young said the gym needed to be prepped for the ceremony.

The girls game originally scheduled for Dec. 6 has been moved to Moline, which means Moline will come to Galesburg later in the season.

The boys game against Jefferson has been moved to Jan. 2, with the varsity game starting at 6 p.m. in Galesburg.