The Galesburg boys basketball team faced its first serious challenge of the season, and unfortunately, did not pass the test. The Silver Streaks fell to the Rock Island Rocks, one of the highly-ranked teams in class 4A,  80 - 45.

The teams were tied a couple of times early in the first quarter, but the Streaks never led in the game.  The Rocks were leading 11 - 9 when they scored 11 straight unanswered points and outscored the Streaks 21 - 4 to finish the 1st quarter with a 19 point lead. Their lead widened to 40 points by halftime, 61 - 21. The scoring slowed in the 2nd half as Rock Island benched their starters in the 4th quarter with a running clock.

The Streaks did have three players in double-figures. The Dave's Auto Body Crunch Time Player of the Game was Eden Mayala off the bench with 11 points and 5 rebounds. Stone Thiel led Galesburg in scoring with 14 points. He knocked down only four 3-pointers in the first four games of the season, but drained four from beyond the arc against Rock Island. And Rahkim McCellan had a big game statistically off the bench as he led Galesburg in rebounding with 8.

Next up for the Silver Streaks is a match-up with another preseason favorite in the Western Big 6, United Township. Brad Bennewitz and Jason Wessels will bring you the action as the Panthers come to John Thiel Gym. The pregame starts at 6:40 Friday (12/12) night on 93.7 FM and 1400 AM WGIL and wgil.com.