NORMAL — Loyola junior guard Aubrey Galvan picked up her first foul with about two minutes left in a tight Class 4A state championship game Saturday night.
An undefeated season was on the line for the Ramblers. The pressure was palpable.
And Galvan was smiling.
“I just have the confidence in myself,” she said. “I knew it wasn’t going to really factor into things, and then everybody was trying to get in my head. It was funny to me.”
Galvan had the last laugh, as Loyola remained unbeaten by holding off Nazareth 44-40 at Illinois State’s CEFCU Arena.
The Ramblers (38-0) joined Lincoln (38-0), which won the 3A title, as the first girls basketball teams to go undefeated since Maine West went 35-0 in 4A in 2018-19, and they tied a state record for most victories in a season. Loyola also prevented Nazareth (32-4) from becoming the first team in state history to win the 3A title, as it did a season ago, and win in 4A a year later.
“Every game, everybody showed up and showed out,” Galvan said. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”
The 5-foot-6 Galvan finished with 15 points. Senior guard Paige Engels scored a game-high 17 points for Loyola, and senior guard Kelsey Langston added seven points and four rebounds.
Senior forward Olivia Austin and sophomore guard Stella Sakalas each scored 16 points for Nazareth, and senior guard Danielle Scully had a team-high five rebounds.
Galvan isn’t afraid to shoot, and that boldness was the catalyst for the Ramblers in the third quarter as they outscored Nazareth 15-2. That included Galvan’s 3-pointer from NBA distance with 4:34 to go, giving Loyola a lead it didn’t relinquish.
“I think it all came from halftime,” she said. “We all had confidence in each other. I think all of us had heart in that second half.”
Loyola coach Jeremy Schoenecker said this season really began for Loyola in early June, when Galvan started playing summer league with her new teammates after she transferred from Deerfield.
“Her and Paige played AAU basketball together,” Schoenecker said. “When Aubrey decided to transfer out of Deerfield, we talked to her. … ‘Hey, Paige, what type of person is she?’’”
Galvan helped lead Deerfield to the 3A state semifinals a year ago. Stepping into a new situation on an established team isn’t easy to do.
“We were bringing back our whole team from last year,” Schoenecker said. “It was one of those things where she fit in right away.”
Engels agreed that Galvan adjusted quickly.
“When she came here, we all welcomed her openly,” Engels said. “She meshed with us so openly. It was our first summer league game, boom, it clicked.
“She’s smiling after a foul. We’re just having fun out there. We love to play together and love to be together, and that’s why we’re so successful.”
Galvan showed early in the game Saturday that she would be a factor offensively. In the first quarter, she hit a midrange floater, and after a layup by Austin, Galvan added a jumper off the glass and then another jumper in the lane.
Galvan’s shooting kept the beat going for the Ramblers, even when Nazareth took a 25-17 halftime lead.
“I know when I have to step my game up a little bit,” she said. “There were some big shots in there. But it’s a team effort. They got the ball to me, and I got the shots.”
Given that Loyola has seven seniors — including Engels, Langston and forward Julia Gamboa, all starters — the opportunity for Galvan to grow further into that leadership role is there.
She’s already talking like a leader.
“The team has faith in me, and I have faith in the team,” she said. “It’s nothing individual.”
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter.
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