Tuesday will be a big night at H.F. Brockman Gym. Not only will it be a night to honor former KHS basketball Coach Shaune Lewis, but the Boilers will, fittingly, be playing Princeton for the TRAC-East title.
The Boilermakers bring a season record of 20-8 and Princeton is 14-12, but both teams are 7-2 in the conference. The Tigers average 57.8 points a game and Kewanee averages 57 points.
One of Kewanee’s two TRAC losses was at Princeton (61-55) and the other was to Mendota (62-57). Princeton’s two losses were to Bureau Valley (62-56) and Hall (66-63).
One interesting stat is the difference in the team’s records for away games in non-tournament games. KHS is 7-4 on the road, while Princeton is 4-7.
Salute to Shaune Lewis Night
This year’s version of Shaune Lewis Night will be extra special. Shaune’s son, Blaise, will be playing his final game in H.F. Brockman Gym.
The same gym that his dad played in before graduating in 1991 and the same gym where Shaune strolled the sidelines as a coach (first, at the frosh-soph level and later at the varsity level).
“This last game means a lot more than any of other ones because I get to step on the Brockman Gym court to play for the last time – and it’s pretty awesome to be able to do it on Coach Lew Night and, hopefully, in front of a packed house,” said Blaise Lewis.
“Not only does the night mean a lot to me and my family – it means a lot to me and my team,” he added. “We have a chance to win the conference, outright.”
Blaise also recognizes how much the night means to all who knew and loved Shaune. “Not only is it a night to remember my dad, but also to recognize what a great coach he was and what a great person he was to his players, coaching staff, the community and all of the people around him.”
Blaise also expressed how grateful he is to Kewanee High School for their support. “I’m blessed and thankful for everything they’ve done for me and my family since my dad passed away.”
It takes a village
Shaune passed away July 2, 2020, the summer before Blaise began his freshman year at KHS. It would’ve been Shaune’s sixth year as head basketball coach at Kewanee High School.
Shortly after Blaise finished his eighth grade basketball season at Central Junior High, he mentioned to his mom, Rhonda, how much he was looking forward to playing for his dad in high school.
Due to Shaune’s unexpected death at the age of 47 (due to a medical incident behind the wheel of his race car at Davenport Speedway), Blaise was denied the opportunity to play for his dad, but he’s carried on and has excelled in spite of all the heartache he’s had to endure.
“Two words come to mind when I think of Blaise and those are resiliency and adaptability,” said Blaise’s Aunt MacKenzee Lewis (Shaune’s sister). “These past few years have been a whirlwind of emotions, but through it all he remains resilient.”
Blaise was at a very impressionable age when Shaune died. The teenage years are hard enough to navigate, but even harder under Blaise’s circumstances.
“There are a lot of unfortunate paths he could’ve chosen but he didn’t,” said Amy (Blaise’s aunt and wife of Chad Lewis, Shaune’s brother). “He’s been strong and resilient and I believe he’ll continue to be successful in life and he’s making his dad proud every day.
“Blaise has a great support system all around him,” said his mom, Rhonda Lewis. “From Shaune’s friends, Blaise’s friends, his family, coaches, teachers and former players.”
One of Shaune’s friends who has been a mentor and friend to Blaise is Rich Hathaway. “Rich and Shaune were extremely close friends before Shaune’s passing and Rich hasn’t hesitated in being there for Blaise and Rhonda,” noted Amy. “He’s the epitome of true friendship.”
Left in the wake of Shaune’s passing was also the basketball team and players that knew and loved “Coach Lew.” Kewanee’s current coach, Matt Clark, was hired and put in the position of trying to pick up the pieces.
In a strange twist of fate, Clark has had the opportunity to coach his own son, Braden, throughout the past four years. The type of loss that Blaise has had to endure hasn’t been lost on him.
“Blaise has been a pleasure to coach these past four years, said Clark. “He’s been through a lot of adversity, but with every step of the way he always seemed to grow in maturity and leadership.
“I can’t imagine what all he’s had to deal with, but his mental toughness has pulled him through the tough times in his basketball career life,” noted Clark. “He brings it every day in practice and has matured to the point where leads – both by example and verbally.”
A mother’s love
One person who all give credit to for Blaise’s ability to overcome and thrive in the face of adversity is his mom, Rhonda.
“Rhonda deserves more credit than she’ll ever know,” said Amy. “In the midst of tragedy, she had to step up and be both mom and dad to Blaise — and she’s done so without missing a step. She’s been by his side through school, sports, racing and everything in between.”
MacKenzee credits Rhonda as well. “Rhonda and Blaise have created a beautiful, unspoken bond — one of knowing that one won’t let the other down.”
Rhonda (Kersey) and Shaune both graduated from KHS (one year apart). They started dating at the end of his senior year in high school in 1991. They married on October 7, 2000.
They spent 29 years together before he passed away. “We would’ve been together a total of 32 years this past October,” she noted.
A legacy of love, basketball and race car driving
“Blaise has Shaune with him everyday, wether it’s a bracelet on his wrist, a shirt, a necklace or on his shoes,” said Rhonda.
Over the last four basketball seasons Blaise has printed “RIP Dad, 7-02-20” on one side of his tennis shoes and “AWGAWN” (All We Got, All We Need”), which was Shaune’s favorite slogan, on the other side.
Anyone who knows Shaune knows that he loved neckties and he had quite a collection of them. After he passed away, all of his loved ones got to choose which ties they wanted as keepsakes.
Blaise’s cousin Brendon (son of Chad and Amy) wore one of Shaune’s ties on the night he was inducted into the National Honor Society as a way to have Shaune with him to commemorate the special occasion.
Shaune’s ties line Blaise’s room and the window net from Shaune’s race car hangs above his bed.
He also wears a bracelet that has a checkered flag on one side of the text that says, “Fly high and race to the sky” and a basketball on the other side that says, “Shaune Lewis 44x,” in remembrance of Shaune’s beloved race car.
Yes, Blaise and Shaune not only shared a love of basketball, they also had a mutual a love of track racing. “You can really see Blaise’s growth through his passion for racing,” said MacKenzee.
“We’ve seen him become really driven and watching his passion and excitement in racing is awesome.”
Like father, like son
“Blaise reminds me of Shaune in many ways,” added MacKenzee. “They share a love of the littles (kids). Blaise has a whole cheering section of “littles” when he hits the court.
“Blaise is always very thankful for his cheering crew, whether on the court or the race track,” she added. “Shaune was the same and very appreciative. And just like Shaune, Blaise will be a very good role model.”
Coach Clark has noticed similarities as well. “Every once in a while Blaise will say something and I’ll stop him and say, “You sounded just like your dad.”
Clark continued, “Hopefully Blaise knows how many people are proud of him and are rooting for him to succeed — not just in basketball, but in life.”
Shaune Lewis’s legacy lives on through his son, Blaise, and it will forever be remembered by his family, friends, players, Kewanee High School and the community of Kewanee.
Shaune Lewis may not, physically, be present at tonight’s game against Princeton, but his spirit and presence will be felt by everyone in attendance.
