The Sterling girls basketball team’s main task tonight will be to keep the Galesburg Silver Streaks from streaking.
Galesburg (25-6), the No. 2 seed at the Class 3A Geneseo Regional, is a run-and-gun, high-octane team that presses, runs personnel in and out, and fires 3-pointers at an astounding pace.
In fact, the Streaks own a number of 3-point state records, including: 3s made in a season (365 last season, 105 more than the No. 2 team); 3s attempted in a season (1,382 last season, more than 400 more than the No. 2 team); 3s made (22) and attempted (72) in a game (both on Jan. 29 at Bloomington this season).
Seventy-two 3-pointers in a game is an average of 2.25 per minute, or one every 26.7 seconds.
In sharp contrast, the Golden Warriors average just fewer than 44 shots per game and are 80-for-306 from 3-point range in their 31 games, averaging about 2.6 made 3s on about 10 attempts per game.
Sterling (23-8), the No. 4 seed, will have its hands full trying to extend its six-game winning streak. Golden Warriors coach Julie Schroeder said her team hasn’t seen anything like what Galesburg does.
“Everybody is a contrast in style to them,” Schroeder said. “We’ve run with a lot of teams, and we like to push the ball up the floor. But, they’re unique.”
Schroeder said her team won’t vary greatly from their usual MO: tough defense.
“We’re going to do what we do and hope that our defensive effort is on and contest shots,” she said. “I don’t think we can slow them down. They’re very good at what they do. I don’t think we can stop them. I just want to contain them.”
Schroeder came away very impressed after watching part of the Streaks’ 74-57 win over Geneseo on Tuesday. The Maple Leafs, like the Warriors, are not used to playing at that pace.
“We watched them play a half, and they made 12 3s,” she said. “They shoot well and get up and defend.”
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