IOWA CITY, Iowa — February in the Midwest means basketball, and no one lives that more than the Freeman family.
A Friday night Big Ten showdown at Carver-Hawkeye Arena had Zach Freeman front and center, ready to watch his oldest son Owen battle the Buckeyes.
As tipoff neared in Iowa City, another Freeman was ready as well — but she was set up 65 miles away. Christina Freeman was at Wharton Field House a little early, eager to support her youngest son Braden and his Moline Maroons. But even in the middle of all the action, Christina was still keeping an eye on things back in Iowa City.
"I have the phone out in front of me on the bleachers, checking the stats to see," Christina said. "It's kind of crazy to think about it."
"If I'm at Braden's game I have my Iowa gear underneath, if I'm at Owen's game I still got my Maroons under," Zach said.
It's a basketball balancing act for the entire Freeman family.
"We kind of map it out in the sense of like, who's going to have to take off work, who can go in late, and all those things," Christina said.
One son is one of the best freshmen in the Big Ten. The other is a standout junior in the Western Big Six, and Mom and Dad refuse to miss a minute of either's success.
"We've not missed one game for Braden, one of us has always been there, and we've only missed one for Owen," Christina said.
"It takes a lot of planning. My mom will sit there and plan out the week and it gets a little rough, but now they have it down to a tee," Owen said.
Zach and Christina both have plenty of basketball knowledge themselves. Both were NAIA All-Americans at Olivet Nazarene University, and they've raised their sons with the same love of the game.
"Me and Braden's main interest was basketball, like our everything was kind of built around that, so they didn't force it," Owen said. "They gave us the opportunity to pick whatever we wanted, but basketball has always been our love."
Now, whether in Moline, Iowa City or anywhere else basketball takes them, the Freemans make sure they're never far behind.
"They always have somebody in the stands that has their back, whether it's just a look a wink, high five, wave that they know," Christina said.
"They are my rock. They are who I go to in times of trouble. They've shaped me into the person I am today," Owen said.
It's a labor of love, and the Freeman family wouldn't have it any other way.
"We're blessed. We know we got a short span, and we're gonna squeeze every last ounce out of it as possible because we're living the dream," Christina said.
"Watching the boys succeed and watching them grow as players, it's just been it's enjoyment. It's demanding on my body, but on the inside I'm just so happy," Zach said.
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