Galesburg High School

Galesburg girls gain revenge in win over Sterling

Galesburg notched its 20th victory Jan. 23, but what may have been more satisfying for the girls basketball team was getting a measure of payback in a 53-45 win over Sterling.

Until last week’s loss to Class 4A Loyola Academy, a 47-42 defeat at Sterling on Dec. 2 had been the only blemish on the Silver Streaks’ run of victories.

“We were feeling revenge,” Zaniyah Carter said. “That’s all we could talk about.”

Zaniyah Carter, right, drives against Sterling’s Brenley Johnson. Carter scored 17 points in the game.(Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

Head coach Lexi Demott took a broader view.

“It’s a big win for us in conference to keep us moving in the direction we want,” Demott said. “We had to take care of tonight to set ourselves up going forward. It’s still anybody’s ballgame for conference. We still have Moline, Quincy, and road games at Rock Island, Alleman, Geneseo and United Township. We’ve got a good chunk left.”

Five of the team’s final seven regular-season games are Western Big 6 Conference matchups. Galesburg remains atop the league at 8-1 and is 20-2 overall. Sterling dropped to fifth at 4-5 in conference play and 15-8 overall.

Galesburg’s Lily Furrow, left, shoots over the tight defense of Alivia Gibson during the Silver Streaks’ game with Sterling. (Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

Slow start, quick response

The game opened slowly, with neither team scoring early. Sterling broke through with a 3-pointer at the 4:33 mark of the first quarter and eventually built a 9-3 lead behind three 3-pointers. Galesburg closed the gap to 9-8 by the end of the period.

“Our shots weren’t going as well as we’d like,” Carter said. “After that first one went in, it just started going in for the rest of us.”

Demott said the large crowd and the stakes may have contributed to early jitters.

“We were getting good shots — we just weren’t making them,” she said. “Defensively, we lost some people in coverage at times, and Sterling was able to get on the board first. But we were able to grind it out and not let that get us down.”

Streaks take control before halftime

Thirty seconds into the second quarter, Jozalyn Kilgore scored on a pass from Ella Herchenroder to give Galesburg its first lead at 10-9.

After intercepting a pass, Galesburg’s Jozalyn Kilgore heads down court, where she was eventually fouled. (Photo by Loran Lewis/GCN)

The teams traded baskets for much of the quarter. A field goal and a 3-pointer by Herchenroder in the final minute helped Galesburg take a 25-19 lead into halftime.

Carter led the Streaks with 11 first-half points, including three 3-pointers. Herchenroder added five as Galesburg outscored Sterling 15-10 in the period.

Defensive adjustments make the difference

Both teams tightened defensively in the third quarter. Galesburg worked the ball patiently to find open looks. Carter and Herchenroder each scored twice from the field, Lily Furrow hit four free throws, and Khloe May snapped a scoreless stretch with a 3-pointer.

“We adjusted defensively at halftime and changed how our press looked,” Demott said. “That started to get them to turn the ball over a little more.”

Sterling stayed close behind three 3-pointers from Brenley Johnson and cut the lead to two. Kilgore and Furrow each intercepted passes that led directly to Galesburg baskets.

“We were letting them go on a run, and I don’t like that unless it’s us,” Carter said. “I made sure we slowed things down and stayed under control.”

Free throws seal the win

Galesburg led 41-35 entering the fourth quarter, then stretched the margin to 13 before Sterling rallied to within six. The Streaks held firm, with Herchenroder, May and Carter sealing the win at the free-throw line.

Carter finished with 17 points. Herchenroder scored 11, Kilgore had nine, Furrow and Eleanor Johnson added six each, and May scored four. Johnson led Sterling with 18 points, all on 3-pointers, while Joslynn James and Jaelyn James each scored 10.

Galesburg plays at Morton at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 24. The Streaks host Moline at 7 p.m. Jan. 29 and close the month at Quincy at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 31.

Carl Sandburg College

Atterberg leads Sandburg women’s rally past Black Hawk

A dominant second half and a career night from Camryn Atterberg lifted the Sandburg women’s basketball team to a 95-79 comeback win at Black Hawk on Jan. 22.

Atterberg posted season highs with 20 points, 16 rebounds and six assists as the Chargers (14-7, 4-1 Arrowhead Conference) topped 90 points for the fifth time this season. The win was Sandburg’s fifth in its last six games and eighth in its last 10.

Atterberg went 9-for-16 from the field and grabbed 13 of her 16 rebounds on the offensive end. The freshman from Keokuk was one of three Chargers to record a double-double.

Sophomore Antonia Kisler finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals while shooting 7-for-13. Sophomore Tiera Hall added 12 points and 10 rebounds on 5-for-12 shooting.

Freshman Hailey Redding hit 5-for-10 from beyond the arc and totaled 17 points. Janessa Wallace chipped in nine points and matched her season high with nine assists. Sandburg assisted on 24 of its 39 made field goals.

The Chargers led 20-19 after one quarter but trailed 43-38 at halftime. They responded by outscoring the Braves 57-36 in the second half, including a 30-14 surge in the fourth quarter.

Up next: Sandburg hosts Harper at 1 p.m. Jan. 24.