Centralia, IL rallies around its historic high school basketball program
CENTRALIA, IL — There is high school basketball.
And then there is high school basketball in Centralia, Illinois.
“It’s like a religion,” Centralia basketball super fan Rod Snow said. The 86-year-old has attended basketball games his whole life. Inside his man cave, Rod has a collection of Centralia basketball items.
When asked if Centralia was the best town for high school basketball in the nation, Snow said, “I don’t even know who would be second.”
That is the sentiment around the town of just over 12,000 people. Basketball is the city’s sport.
The sport is so popular that the school has a lottery for season tickets to boys’ basketball games. The die-hard fans of the Orphans (and Annies), the school’s mascot, hope their names get drawn for the best seats. Inside Trout Arena, the team’s home venue, fans regularly fill the seats for each basketball game.
“You can tell by the number of people here how much they enjoy (basketball),” 96-year-old Connie Freels said. She’s also a longtime supporter of the basketball program and sits on the front row for every game.
When you pass by the student section, appropriately named the Orphanage, you’ll see an enthusiastic and vocal crowd of kids. The Orphanage does several chants and group actions to keep the atmosphere alive during the game.
But people come for the basketball.
The Orphan boys team is one of the best in Illinois, winning their first 18 games this season. The team currently sports a 20-1 record, and the players thank the adoring fans for continuing to root for them.
“The energy is always insane (at Trout Arena),” senior Cruz Harlan said.
“To experience that atmosphere and the chills you get from it is amazing.”
“It’s life,” senior Daryle Jones said. “Everyone loves it. It’s like a culture.”
“(The fans) can be home doing something else, but they want to come out and support us,” senior Logan Meier said. “It’s really an honor.”
“They’re always with us,” senior Malik Myers said. “The community for basketball here is amazing.”
With over 2,000 wins to its name, Centralia basketball is one of the winningest programs in the country. The town’s people exhibit its basketball tradition proudly.
“It’s a great town, and the people here are friendly,” Snow said emotionally. “And it spills over into our basketball.”
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
