Some final thoughts on the Railers basketball season

[April 03, 2020]  Three weeks have now passed since the Lincoln Railers basketball season ended abruptly due to the concern of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Who knew leaving a packed Roy S. Anderson Gymnasium on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 that it would all be over on this night for this team, and every team battling in the postseason in Illinois?

The Railers had just defeated Decatur MacArthur 60-41 and as the crowd slowly started to disperse following the win, you could feel the excitement in the air as Lincoln fans knew Friday night at 7 p.m. they had a date with Springfield Lanphier on their home court. The game was going to be an epic matchup between two of the most historic basketball powerhouses in central Illinois. It was without a doubt going to be the game of the year, thus far.

The Railers were 32-2 and riding a 17-game winning streak entering what would be the Sectional Championship versus Lanphier. Ranked 6th in the state, these Railers had an excellent shot at making a trip to Peoria and playing in the IHSA Class 3A State Tournament.

And then the unimaginable happened. IHSA canceled the remaining winter sports tournaments on the evening of March 12, 2020 and in the blink of an eye, the season was over. The news was devastating and it’s still hard to comprehend.

The following statements are from Coach Neil Alexander and his wife Denise, and the three seniors: Kaden Froebe, Kameron Whiteman and Will Ewald. They wrote these statements after the news broke and they had a little time to process things. LDN is printing these words with their permission.

“Yesterday was one of the hardest days ever with a roller coaster of news and emotions. First the game would be played with very strict restrictions. This was hard to imagine but the bottom line was, we were going to play and have one more game at home. We practiced as usual after school and we were ready to compete for the Sectional Championship.

"Then the final blow. Everything cancelled. The boys were called back to school and given the news. There are no words to explain how hard this was for our coaching staff to see these kids go through the shock that their season was over.

"We used this time to sit together as a team. We shared stories, memories and a lot of tears. I am going to be perfectly honest here. I was not ready for the end. I was not ready to let go of this team especially those three seniors.

"We do respect and understand the decision by the IHSA to cancel the tournament, but it is hard and disappointing especially for those boys. It was a great ride and a great season and we are so very proud of you all.

"We would like to take this time to thank the entire Railer Nation for their tremendous support and dedication to Railer Basketball.

"We love you all.” - Coach Al & Denise.


“Today I have learned to value every little moment in life. The early mornings and late nights were worth every second. I have not just made friends but I have made family.

"Railer Nation, thank you for bringing me in and making me apart of the special tradition in Lincoln.

"This is and always will be the best high school to play at. The impact you have on a kid's life is life changing. I can’t thank you enough for these past four years. You guys hold a special place in my heart.” - Kaden Froebe


“At a loss of words at the way our season ended tonight. For everything we’ve worked so hard for our entire lives to be taken away in a second is something I’ll never be able to wrap my head around.

"The bond that I share with this team is unimaginable.

"As for Railer Nation, you guys know how to pack a gym. It’s been an honor to play in front of you guys the past four years. Thank you for everything.” - Kameron Whiteman


“I am very proud to be a part of Railer Nation. Lincoln basketball has really pushed me to be the best person I could be to reach a common goal. And that is to go to state. The run we had got pulled away from us and it’s devastating.

"I want to say thank you to all the people that made me become a better player throughout the four years at Lincoln.

"I also want to say thank you to the team for the great memories as well as my fellow seniors in Kaden and Kam. Those two have impacted my life tremendously and have made me a better person.

"Railer Nation will never leave my heart.” - Will Ewald

 

A word from Teena Lowery:

I really wanted to add something to this out of respect for the people above. First of all, my apologies for taking so long to put my thoughts down on paper if you will. Every time I sat at the computer to type, the tears flowed instead of the words.

Second of all, the Railer basketball program is undeniably one of the classiest programs you will ever see and the way the players conducted themselves following the tragic news is evidence of that.

Some might think the word “tragic” is a bit extreme, but in my opinion, for these young men to dedicate themselves to the game of basketball their entire lives and then have the opportunity at one shining moment ripped away from them due to unimaginable circumstances out of their control, well that’s a tragedy to a young athlete, whether it be high school, college, or even the Olympics for that matter now.

In the days following the cancellation of the Railers basketball season, the three seniors Kameron Whiteman, Will Ewald and Kaden Froebe posed in front of the Lincoln Theater marquee. - Photo courtesy of Kari Froebe.

Now if I could just share a couple more thoughts.

Throughout the 2019-2020 basketball season I heard Coach Neil Alexander use the word “special” on many occasions when referring to this group of young athletes. He’s obviously coached a long time and he’s had a lot of great teams. But there was something about this group that made them special.

This is my take. Prior to their junior year, Froebe, Whiteman and Ewald did not have much Varsity experience. But what they did have was a tough-as-nails work ethnic and a true friendship. They worked their butts off in the off-season to prove themselves to Coach Alexander and the rest of the coaching staff.

After a very successful 2018-2019 season, they were left hungry and wanting more. They were determined to be quicker on the court. This season they proved to fans they could run, jump and shoot with the best of them. Actually they out-ran, out-jumped and out-shot the rest of them.

This team was quick. They “read” each other well without muttering a word. They clicked like a well-oiled machine. They ran plays like a well-orchestrated performance. They hustled, they kept their composure, they never looked tired, and they simply had fun. They annihilated their opponents nearly all season long.

On two occasions they lost by a point in overtime. They never ever quit. They made Coach Alexander’s job look effortless during the games. They were that good. They were a special team to watch play on the court.

Off the court, they are outstanding young men who have already made contributions to the younger, up and coming future Railers. They’ve left a legacy. But these are all my opinions.

So on Saturday, February 22, 2020 I was in Decatur at the Eisenhower versus Lincoln game standing next to Jared Phillips, a sports reporter for Channel 1450 in Springfield, and I wanted to get a second opinion on these Railers. I asked him, “What do you think of this Railer team?” Phillips didn’t hesitate when he said, “They’re incredible.” I quickly broke out in a smile. What he said next over the course of about five minutes was one of those moments where I wished I was recording word for word, but since I wasn’t, I will paraphrase from memory. Because his words were so fabulous, I have not forgotten them. Phillips said, “This team does everything right. They move the ball extremely well, they can shoot, they are quick, they are disciplined and they play the game the way Naismith intended the game to be played.”

That last comment really struck me. Phillips really meant it. And I couldn’t agree more. James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891 and these current Railers were perfecting the way to play the game in the 2019-2020 season.
 

One of my favorite observations of this Railer team was how they often put on a basketball clinic for the crowd, particularly in the first quarter, all season long. The way this team came out and just played flawlessly in the first eight minutes was nothing short of impressive. And depending on the opponent and situation, they could adjust their game accordingly and just make you go, “Wow!”

So after that Naismith comment by Phillips, I had to interject my thoughts. “I mean, I am partial to these guys because I watch them play night in and night out,” I said, “but I totally agree. And they play clean.”

Phillips agreed. I then had to ask, “What do you think their chances are in the postseason?”

“Of all the teams we cover, I think Lincoln has the best chance of making it to state,” said Phillips.

I broke out in a really big smile then and said, “Wow, that’s awesome because I think they will get there, too, but I honestly do not know what teams they will be facing down the road.” Phillips then enlightened me on a few possible matchups and even mentioned Morgan Park.

About that time the Railers busted out to a 30-point lead over Eisenhower and Phillips announced that was his cue to leave so he could head back to the station and start putting the highlights together early. That was another thing he liked about this Railer team. They just tended to make everyone’s job a bit easier.

Now, I am no basketball expert. But I share a love for the game like those featured in this article. And to me the professional opinions of both Alexander and Phillips really matter. So, to put their thoughts together on these Railers I come up with two words that stand out: special and incredible.

To the 2019-2020 Lincoln Railers, you are all incredibly special and we THANK YOU for the joy you brought us this season and the memories that you have given us that will last a lifetime. Your unfinished business will never be forgotten.

Please keep following Sports next week as we will feature the postseason accolades awarded to the Railers!


[Teena Lowery
Sports Reporter/Feature Writer | Lincoln Daily News | 217.454.6419 | [e-mail]]