High School Girls Basketball
Lady Railers show Chicago Kenwood Academy how it’s done
Team improves to 22-0

 

[January 16, 2024] 

The Lady Railers did it again!

The team boarded a chartered bus and traveled two and a half hours north on Monday to participate in the 34th Annual Coach Derril Kipp’s Hoopsfest at Benet Academy in Lisle for the second year in a row.

Once again the ladies turned in a phenomenal performance, this time against a very athletic team from Chicago Kenwood. Lincoln led the entire game, and even had a running clock late in the fourth quarter, winning by a final score of 76-54.

The 36-team shootout consisted of primarily Chicago-area teams, with a couple teams from Indiana and one from Wisconsin. In the mix was the little ‘ole disciplined team from Lincoln who took their polished game of basketball to the big city and left their mark.

Before diving into the details of the game, everyone should know these Lincoln girls had a fantastic first half of shooting. They shot 62% (18-for-29) from the field and they were 5-for-10 from three-point range.

In the second half Lincoln shot a very respectable 52% (11-for-21) from the field. The girls were also 5-for-8 from the three-point range.

The Lady Railers were also 62% (8-for-13) from the free throw line as a team.

Kenwood out-rebounded Lincoln 32-22 and given the height advantage, that was understandable. But the scrappy Lady Railers got the best of the Broncos in other categories. Lincoln outranked them in assists, 22-17. The Lady Railers beat them in steals, 13-7. Lincoln also forced 18 turnovers, while committing 10 as a team.

Determination, hustle and flat-out playing with that Lady Railer mentality earned these girls the win. It was beautiful to witness.

The minute the starting lineups were introduced, there were goosebumps. Becca Heitzig and Kloe Froebe were introduced with a long bio of their accomplishments being read beforehand. It should never be lost on the fans just how incredibly special these two particular athletes are. From Heitzig’s numerous achievements at State in track, cross country, basketball and volleyball to Froebe’s record-shattering career on the basketball court, it was all impressive and read with admiration from the PA announcer inside the gym at Benet Academy. It’s mind-blowing really what Froebe has accomplished at LCHS. She is the no. 1 senior in the state of Illinois, as ranked by Prep Girls Hoops and she is in the top 75 seniors in the country by Blue Star Report. And one more thing, going into the game on Monday she had scored 2,770 career points. This moved her into 17th place in the history of Illinois High School basketball, passing Candace Parker. And if you don’t know who Candace Parker is, stop reading this right now and google her.

First Quarter

The Broncos won the tip over Lincoln and after a missed shot opportunity, Jenna Bowman pulled down the rebound and passed the ball to Kloe Froebe. Froebe drove up the court, into the lane, spun around and was fouled going up for a shot. The Broncos failed that test and Froebe sank her two shots at the free throw line to put Lincoln up for good, 2-0 to start. Let the fun begin!

The Lady Railers allowed the Broncos to get the ball near half court in their next possession, but then the first pass sailed out of reach of everybody and it was Lincoln ball again. Froebe took control and drove the lane and drew the foul again and also sank those two shots. This time during the Broncos possession they would score in the lane and cut the lead in half, 4-2. This would be the final time the score was so close. Next go ‘round, Tori Geriets stepped out of the lane to catch the pass from Becca Heitzig and she tossed in a bucket just inside of the three-point line. Nice to see this range from T.G.

Geriets, Heitzig and Froebe each scored baskets over the next approximately 90 seconds and with a 12-2 Lincoln lead, the Broncos coach had seen enough. Timeout, Kenwood Academy. Although in reality, the coach had only gotten a glimpse of what was in store for his team. Out of the huddle, it was Stoltzenburg’s turn to score. First, she poured in two points on the fast break, thanks to a great pass from Bowman and then she hit a corner three to put Lincoln up 17-6. After a bucket by Froebe the score would be 19-10. With the clock showing 25.8 seconds left in the first quarter, the Lady Railers inbounded the ball under their own basket and with Stoltzenburg firing a long bullet pass to Froebe, the best player in the state launched it from a good foot and a half past the three-point line, midway between the corner and the wing, and as the ball glided through the net even fans not from Lincoln were hooping and hollering. The girl is just that fun to watch. And then with about ten seconds left in the quarter, Stoltzenburg read the pass like it was the Chicago Tribune, the big print version on the Kindle, and just like a gangster, she was on the run. She had a few Broncos chasing her, and one tracked her down and maybe even caused her to miss the shot but no worries. Just like Al Capone had people, so does Lincoln’s no. 1. Froebe was right there to swipe the rebound from another Bronco player and put it back up for two points. As the announcer matter-of-factly said, “Yeh, basket, Kloe Froebe,” the Broncos coach called a timeout. There were 2.5 seconds left on the clock. After the timeout, the Broncos inbounded the ball under the Lincoln basket and the first girl to collect the pass just stood there with the ball. She didn’t know what to do with it. A lot can happen in 2.5 seconds in a basketball game. As her teammates yelled at her to dribble the ball, the buzzer sounded and Lincoln was on top 24-10.

Second Quarter

Wait just a minute. Back up. Can you believe these Lady Railers?! A double-digit lead in the first quarter over a Chicago team. Sweet. Lincoln continued shooting well in the second quarter and at the four minute mark the lead was 36-16. Piper Whiteman had dumped in four points, Bowman had made a three and Heitzig had tossed in two points. Not to be forgotten was Froebe with a free throw during this stretch. Whiteman, the first one off the bench into the game, really turned things up a notch on Monday. One minute she’s on the floor fighting for the ball in the nicest way possible, the next minute she’s sinking a three like nobody's watching. Her three in this moment put Lincoln up 39-20. After Heitzig’s bank shot fell through the net, Lincoln was up 41-20 and the Broncos were discombobulated to say the least. Meanwhile, the veteran Chicago area basketball fans on the front row, who have obviously seen a lot of basketball talent in their time, were smiling and shaking their heads at this Lady Railer team. You can’t help but enjoy their heart and hustle. After the next Bronco miss, the smallest girl on the court collected the rebound, Grace Schneider.

With the girls from Lincoln off and running towards the basket again, a couple misses followed but the ball eventually managed to go out of bounds off of a Kenwood player, so Lincoln had yet another opportunity to score.

Stoltzenburg found Froebe busting out towards the top of the key and she once again fired that bullet inbounds pass that hit Kloe in the hands and once that happens, Froebe knows what to do with it. She took a split-second to release the ball and everything about her shot was absolutely perfect. With the ball barely touching the net as it fell through, the score was 44-20.

Froebe gave a little acknowledgement to Stoltzenburg for the great pass and the teammates quickly switched over to the 1-2-2 press without missing a beat. The Broncos did score during the next possession, but Lincoln was quick to answer. Heitzig may have scored that last basket before the half but it was really the team's effort in moving the ball around so quickly that really captured the fan’s attention. These girls just pass the ball brilliantly and move in and around the court like they are synchronized swimmers on energy drinks. It’s crazy to say, but they are mind readers too. Each and every one of them truly knows where the next person is going even before they reach that spot. A well-oiled machine is really an excellent way to describe them. But not to play down Heitzig’s short jumper, it was truly a thing of beauty and she has mastered that baseline move. Her shot made the score 46-22 and after the Broncos made one final basket in the half, it was the Lady Railers sprinting to the locker room with a 46-24 lead.

Can’t resist throwing in this comment from a Chicago basketball fan and recruiter at the half: “Like I told these guys, she’s better than everybody else.” Emphasis on the word “better.” Oh, he was referring to Kloe Froebe.

Third Quarter

Here we go to the second half. Lincoln is going to stay focused and keep working towards building that lead. The total team effort continued. Froebe, Stoltzenburg, Bowman, Whiteman and Heitzig each scored. As the one minute mark drew close in the third quarter, Lincoln went up 63-33. You have got to be kidding?! This Kenwood team was a good team. They just weren’t used to the Lady Railers style of basketball. They would, however, score right before the third quarter ended and trim the lead to 63-36, thus ruining the chance of the beginning of the fourth quarter to start with a running clock.

Fourth Quarter

Whiteman was determined to get that clock running, as she quickly sank a three in the fourth quarter to make the score 66-36. But the Broncos got down to business and closed the gap to 66-43. Again it was Whiteman with another three and a 69-43 score. A minute later, same story. Whiteman was on fire with yet another three and it was a 72-45 lead. Mia Clark entered the game and she helped Whiteman out with a two but it still just wasn’t enough. Finally around the three minute mark the clock ran. Froebe’s free throws had made the score 76-45 and it was definitely time to warm the bus up. The Broncos finished out the scoring against Lincoln’s bench and the final score ended up 76-54.

That’s how we do it downstate.

Lincoln's Kloe Froebe and Kenwood's Ariella Henigan are the MVP's of the game.

Kloe Froebe was the MVP of the game for Lincoln. Froebe led the team with 25 points. She also had 9 rebounds and 6 assists.

Piper Whiteman came off the bench and was lights out on offense and defense, contributing a very important 15 points.

Becca Heitzig out ran the Broncos and she poured in 12 points. She also had 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.

Jenna Bowman tossed in 11 points, had 4 steals and 3 rebounds.

Taryn Stoltzenburg had 7 points, 7 assists and 3 steals.

Ariella Henigan was the MVP of the game for Kenwood. Henigan had 26 points.

Lincoln is now 22-0 on the season.

The Lady Railers will host Mount Zion tonight.

The JV game will tip-off at 5:30 p.m.

The Varsity game will tip-off at 7:00 p.m.

Lincoln 76

Froebe 25
Whiteman 15
Heitzig 12
Bowman 11
Stoltzenburg 7
Geriets 4
Clark 2

Kenwood 54

Henigan 26
Tillman 8
Brooks 7
Rufus 5
Mitchell 4
Hamilton-Gill 2
Triplett 2

[Teena Lowery]