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