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Senior night extra special for Galbato, Aurora Christian

Emotions ran higher than usual on the Aurora Christian girls basketball team's senior night Monday.

Gabby Galbato, the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder who hasn't played at all this year after tearing her right ACL on Sept. 12 playing volleyball, got the start against Christian Liberty along with seniors Sami Hultine, Carey Tokars, Kirsten Madsen and Ashley Hochsprung.

Galbato stood underneath the Eagles' basket by herself for the opening tip. She took a pass from Tokars and banked in an uncontested layup for the first points of the Eagles' 61-30 victory.

There was more than a fan or two wiping away a tear watching Galbato get one last chance to score a basket for her high school team.

"It was honestly something I thought about quite a bit," Eagles coach Burney Wilkie said. "I'm very close with Gabby. She has been the heart and soul of this program for quite awhile now. Just thought we had a chance to do something special for her we ought to try."

Aurora Christian (13-12, 7-1 in the Northeastern Athletic Conference) then allowed Christian Liberty's Jasmine Marsh to score a layup to tie the game at 2.

The Eagles took a 5-second call to give the ball back to the Chargers (1-11), then called timeout, and senior Jackie Hilger replaced Galbato.

"It was really emotional," Galbato said. "I was excited to be able to play. I've played with Sami and Carey since I was in sixth grade and Kirsten and Ashley since I was in seventh and eighth grade so be able to play with them the last time is really special to me. The fact my coach would put that together means a lot to me."

It's the second straight year the Eagles have lost one of their best players after Madsen was sidelined last year.

Galbato's injury came when she jumped for a kill in the volleyball match, a no-contact injury that Wilkie witnessed because he was attending the game to see how Madsen was recovering from her injury.

"It was definitely shocking," Wilkie said. "Last year we felt we had a chance to be a state contender with Kirsten and then that happened, and we felt the same way going into this season with Gabby. You feel terrible for the kid because she's worked so hard and she's getting college looks and you don't know what's going to happen with those. Really my worry more for her and not the team."

Galbato, who is 3-and-a-half months into her recovery and hopes to return to the basketball court in April, said she does want to play college basketball at either Hope, Calvin, St. Norbert or Augustana.

Monday's game was never in doubt. Christian Liberty only dressed 6 players.

Madsen scored 15 of her game-high 18 points in the first half as the Eagles took a 35-17 lead.

Hultine added 10 points and Hilger scored 9.

"You kind of hope for that on senior night," Wilkie said. "Getting all the seniors a ton of time. Someone like Jackie (Hilger) who hardly plays for us, comes and works hard every day for us, I've never heard her complain in four years. For her to be able to come out and score 9 is the kind of thing that makes this so much fun for me, so rewarding."

Sam Amedin made three 3-pointers to lead Christian Liberty with 9 points. Marsh added 8 points and 10 rebounds, Angie Nichols scored 7 points and had 8 rebounds, and Casie Swiderek chipped in 6 points and 8 boards.

"They play their best, they play as hard as they can," Chargers coach Annie Salsgiver-Vazquez said. "It's difficult when you don't have subs because there is no one to relieve them. They played well. They were tired."

Images: Aurora Christian vs. Christian Liberty, girls basketball

  Aurora Christian's Paris Chaney drives around Christian Liberty's Sam Amedin Monday in Aurora. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Christian Liberty's Angie Nichols and Aurora Christian's Kirsten Madsen scramble for a loose ball Monday in Aurora. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Christian Liberty's Alexis Venter Aurora Christian's Kirsten Madsen spins under the defense of Monday in Aurora. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Christian Liberty's Angie Nichols, right, and Jasmine Marsh force Aurora Christian's Tori Henning to turn the ball over Monday in Aurora. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Christian Liberty's Sam Amedin and Aurora Christian's Dannielle Lopez fight for a loose ball Monday in Aurora. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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