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Reading welcomes Lonnie Walker back home

11/22/2017, 11:30pm EST
By Josh Verlin

Lonnie Walker (above) made his return to Reading, in a new uniform, on Wednesday night. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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READING, Pa. -- Santander Arena was packed to the brim on Wednesday night, with more than 7,000 fans packed into the city’s largest arena for one main purpose: welcome Miami Hurricanes freshman Lonnie Walker back to his hometown.

It wasn’t a celebration of Walker’s career, according to Reading High basketball coach Rick Perez. That had happened in March, back when the do-it-all wing led the Red Knights to their first-ever state championship in front of what seemed like the entire city of Reading transported to Hershey’s Giant Center.

This, Perez said, was something deeper.

“It’s no longer celebration here at Reading,” he said. “This is who we are. This is who we are and what we’re going to do.

“Reading is on the rise. This is a refresher -- don’t forget, this is who we are, this is our identity. We’re back on the Monopoly board.”

All those in attendance had to wait a few minutes past the game’s 6 o’clock tipoff, however, for Walker to finally take the court. Despite playing in his hometown for possibly the only time in his college career -- and possibly for the final time in any sort of meaningful setting -- Walker came off the bench.

Miami head coach Jim Larranaga said he had thought about starting Walker, who had come off the bench in the Hurricanes’ first three games of the season, but the combination of sticking with the formula and a sprained ankle Walker suffered in the team’s last game meant the player almost everybody was there to see began the game on the bench.

Just past four minutes into the game, Walker rose from the bench, to a burst of applause, but the wait wasn’t quite over. Before he could check in: a media timeout, another two minutes of waiting.

When Walker’s name was finally announced coming out of the break, the crowd got to its feet, welcoming Walker back home. On the outside, he stayed straight-faced, getting ready for the inbounds play.

On the inside…

“I was kind of like a little kid,” he said. “Like when your parents tell you you’re going to Disney, you get overjoyed, overexcited and my stomach was turning up and down consistently. But once I got in, got a feel for the game, it kind of eased its way back out.”

From the moment the game was announced back in June, it was a date the city had collectively circled on its calendar.

Walker was similarly excited about the opportunity, but he had an offseason -- which included a meniscus tear that cost him more than two months of the preseason -- as well as the first three games of his freshman year to get through first. A twisted ankle in that third game, against Florida A&M last Thursday, cast a brief worry that he wouldn’t be able to play on Wednesday night, but Larranaga and Walker clarified by the weekend that he would be good to go.

It was around that point that the reality of what was coming hit Walker.

“I really didn’t think about it, honestly, until a few days ago, thinking that it’s actually happening, because things like those don’t really come too often,” he said. “About two or three days ago it finally kicked in, I got overjoyed, very excited, just thinking about what my teammates can see out of Reading.

“I’m very blessed and thankful for Coach Larranaga, the assistant coaches and the man upstairs for giving me the opportunity to come back and play,” Walker added.

While Walker was of course happy to see his former Reading teammates and coaches, the trip home was mostly importantly a chance for him to see his family -- and for them to see him. Walker is very close with his maternal grandmother Eleanor Carter, known as “Mama El”, but she isn’t able to travel to see him play.

The only way it could happen was for Larranaga to arrange a game in Reading itself, something he was more than happy to do.

And so there was Mama El, courtside, watching Walker play with the rest of his family -- and a few thousand friends. Earlier in the day, Walker had gotten a chance to surprise his family at home, and eat a homecooked meal (“fried chicken, macaroni...simple soul food”). After the game, Walker immediately headed over to give his grandmother a hug.

“I had an abundant amount of feelings that I truly can’t express,” Walker said. “I’m thankful to be back and see my grandmom and be thankful that my grandmom can see me play one time for my college career.

Considering Walker, who was a top-20 recruit coming out of Reading, is being touted as a potential first-round draft pick next June, this could be the last time he plays in front of his hometown.

“I’d like to do it again next year,” Larranaga said. “Of course, we would need Lonnie back.”

Though Wednesday night was understandably entirely about Walker, the 6-foot-5 wing didn’t have his most memorable game. He played 27 minutes, finishing with five points (2-8 FG), two rebounds and two assists without committing a turnover.

After scoring over 1,800 points during his standout career at Reading, Walker is only averaging 7.0 ppg through his first four games, and hasn’t scored more than the 10 he contributed in the season opener.

“He went three months without shooting a basketball, and it takes you a while to get back in sync,” Larranaga said. “You already have so much to learn your freshman year, and then to try and come back in a short period of time is very challenging.”

Walker did come up with an offensive rebound and a driving layup with about 80 seconds left, drawing one final big cheer from those remaining in the crowd.

After exiting and entering several times in the game’s closing minutes, Walker finally departed with five seconds left while receiving one last standing ovation from the rest of the crowd.

A “Red Knights” chant filled Santander Arena in the final 40 seconds.

Miami won the game, and Lonnie Walker got to celebrate with his family.

“Life is a unique story to it,” he said. “Everyone has their own story behind it and just being able to see my mom and grandmom one last time before the season really starts to kick in, it was amazing.”


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