Galena Girls Basketball Conquers Unbeaten RRSM

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A much anticipated game turns into a must win. “We all have been waiting for this game all season and my teammates and I went into the game knowing we had to come out with a win,” said Gracie Furlong ‘25.

On Tuesday January 11, the JV and varsity girls basketball played River Ridge/Scales Mound at GHS. This was a much anticipated game that featured a showdown between the two best teams in the NUIC conference. Going into the game the River Ridge/Scales Mound girls basketball team were undefeated with a 16-0 record. However, the Pirates rose above the tough RRSM team with a win of 45-37. 

The girls started the game off strong with a score of 19-4 after the first quarter. In spite of the Pirate’s solid lead, RRSM started to catch up after halftime with a score of 27-14. Addie Hefel ‘24 hit two clutch free throws to solidify the win with 33 seconds left in the game. Hefel led the team in points with 19 points, 3 steals, and 4 rebounds. “We played pretty well in the first half and this put the game in our favor for the second half. It was great to finally have a big crowd at this important game. It pushed the team to want to win even more,” Addie Hefel ‘24. 

It was also Youth Basketball Night for all Galena 7th and 8th grade basketball players. Each student received a ticket upon entry for one piece of free candy and one free bag of popcorn. The GHS stands were packed with young fans who were ready to cheer on the Pirates. “It was nice to see the stands full of cheering fans and to feel the support of the community in this important, high energy game,” said Taylor Burcham ‘24. 

The girls varsity team currently has a 15-2 overall record. This was the Lady Pirates first conference game putting them at a record of 1-0. “Our team chemistry has been really growing since the beginning of the season,” said Claire Martensen ‘22. “Our offense and defense has been stepping up and I can feel this season will be a memorable one.” 

The team will play again on Saturday, January 15 in the  Martin Luther King Jr. Tournament at Byron. The Lady Pirates first game is at noon against Peru St. Bede. They play again that night at 4:30. To conclude the MLK Tournament, the girls team will play on Monday morning also in Byron.