Iowa Girls 6-on-6 Basketball Star Comes from Generations of Players

In rural Iowa you could have several generations of women in the same families that played the game during their high school careers. This segment from Iowa PBS’s More Than a Game: 6-on-6 Basketball in Iowa documentary profiles the family of all-time leading scorer Lynne Lorenzen.

Narrator: Another participant in the 1952 state tournament was Reinbeck High School. Led by twins Frances and Francine Billerbeck, known as  the double trouble Billerbecks, Reinbeck won the state championship over Monona, a team with its own standout player in 6'4" post forward Norma Schoulte.
 
Frances (Billerbeck) Lorenzen, Reinbeck H.S., 1950 - 1952: The first half, we had one-on-one guarding, and then the second half, Norma was getting quite a few points. So the second half, our coach put a gal behind her and Francine, my twin sister, in front. I think she was probably limited to I don't know how many points, but it wasn't that many.
 
On the way home, we stopped at the small towns and people would greet us and it was -- well, it's just Iowa basketball.
 
Announcer: Now with the ball in the light uniform, Reinbeck, the basket by Frances Billerbeck.

Narrator: as Frances Billerbeck played in the 1952 state tournament, little did she know then that one day she would have a daughter who would become one of the best six-on-six players ever.

Narrator: as Frances Billerbeck played in the 1952 state tournament, little did she know then that one day she would have a daughter who would become one of the best six-on-six players ever.
Lynne Lorenzen is the all-time leading scorer for girls' basketball nationwide.
 
[ announcer doing play-by-play ]
 
Narrator: In 1987 Lorenzen set a national record that still stands today, scoring 6,736 points during her high school career. As a senior, she led her Ventura team to an undefeated season, winning the state championship over Southeast Polk. That moment was the payoff for years of practice.
 
Lynne Lorenzen-Ward, Ventura H.S. (1983-1987): We were at the pinnacle of exactly what the goal was. When you're talking about that second half, that was exactly what every shot prior to was set up for. That was it. That's what we practiced for. That was it.