theintelligencer
The IHSA dead week couldnt have come at a better time for the Father McGivney girls basketball team.
The Griffins spent much of June bouncing between shootouts and the Southwestern Illinois College Summer League, trying to maximize the 20 contact days coaches are allowed with their teams during the summer.
We've been busy, Father McGivney coach Jeff Oller said.
We kind of jammed it all into about two and a half weeks.
We got a little bit later start this year, but it's been busy.
We've played some good competition, and we're learning a lot about ourselves.
Basketball has not been the only demand on the Griffins.
Ive been so busy.
This (last) week was also club playoffs for soccer, so I really had no break, rising junior guard Layla Tobin said after the Griffins completed the SIUE Team Camp on June 27.
Tobin started the month, along with basketball teammates Bristol Ellis and Claire Wade, helping Father McGivney win the Class 1A girls soccer state championship on June 6 in Naperville.
Club soccer with Gallagher followed, along with summer basketball for the Griffins.
She said she is ready for the break.
Im just going to chill and get some sleep, Tobin said.
The dead week also known as the no contact week is from June 29 to July 5.
It was moved from August to the Fourth of July week this summer after a vote by IHSA member schools in December 2025.
It was one of 12 new bylaws taking effect July 1.
According to the rule, schools may not practice, compete, hold open gyms, provide conditioning or weight training during this week.
While Tobin has balanced soccer and basketball, rising sophomore guard Elle Willenborg has split time between basketball and tennis.
She has been playing tennis in the evenings.
I definitely need it, Willenborg said of a break.
We had games over four days.
Willenborg and Tobin are Father McGivneys two returning starters from a team that finished 28-7 last season and won regional and Gateway Metro Conference championships.
The Griffins have shown promise this summer, including a win over Heart of Illinois Basketball in their final game of the SIUE Team Camp.
They also earned summer wins over Edwardsville and OFallon earlier in the month.
I think we can see the flashes of what we can be because it's a young team.
Getting wins like that helps build confidence, Oller said.
It's been up and down throughout the summer, though.
We're just trying to get more consistent, which is pretty normal whenever you're dealing with a young team.
Against Heart of Illinois, Father McGivney showed its speed and athleticism on the perimeter while also getting a stronger inside presence from Kennedy Kreke, Ellis, Wade, Bella Bridges and Ella Johnson.
The Griffins used a big second-half run, fueled by turnovers, to pull away in the day-closing win.
I think were running different plays now because we can throw it into the posts a lot more.
I think it takes a lot of pressure off, Tobin said.
That post presence could give Father McGivney a different offensive look.
Last season, the Griffins relied heavily on the 3-pointer, knocking down 223 3s in 2025-26 after making 119 in 2024-25.
While Father McGivney expects more production inside, Tobin and Willenborg remain the catalysts in the backcourt.
I think we have really good chemistry, Willenborg said.
We're a young team, so we're just going to keep growing together as a team.