He didn’t, but you so wish he had. I know I do.

Lane Fox was, what, eight years old or so when it happened. While waiting to grow old enough to play the game he wanted to play, that would be basketball, he agreed to play the sport which his father would like to have him try, which was wrestling. And he was pretty good, to be right honest.

Thing is, basketball was his sport so that third-grade year Lane had the chance to leaving wrestling behind for basketball and jumped at the chance. Considering, but skipping, one historically symbolic gesture on his way out the door.

“I wanted to take my shoes to the middle of the mat and walk off, you know, because I was retiring,” remembers Lane, “but my did didn’t think was such a hot idea.”

Gotta admit, Lane, I side with you on this one...to me that would maybe have been the greatest moment in wrestling history.

These many years later they guy who could have made them forget Stone Cold Steve Austin has carved out a pretty great high school basketball career. Maybe you don’t know much about him because his team hasn’t been ultra successful but Lane Fox, Conestoga senior point guard, is one of the best players in Class C-1.

Want proof? For starters the kid has scored over 1,350 career points, averaging 21 points per game the past two seasons and even 17 as a freshman. Not only that he’s nearing his 500 career assists, so you can dismiss any thought of him being a ball hog. No, he’s a playmaker, plain and simple.

“Lane’s at his best off the dribble when he’s getting the defense on their heels and he’s making the right play for the team whether that be drawing a defender and kicking it out or taking it for himself,” says Conestoga head coach Jason Ahrens. “He has also made great strides as a defender and he’s tough, he’s leading our team in rebounding (six per) while playing guard.”

It’s not a one-man band at Conestoga - Lane would tell you that - especially with fellow senior guard Benjamin Welch as his wing man. Coach Ahrens concurs.

“It’s hard for me to mention Lane without mentioning our other senior guard Benjamin Welch, who has played in every game with Lane since they entered high school,” says Coach Ahrens. “Their skill sets fit well together. Ben’s the all-time leader at Conestoga in three-point percentage as well as three-pointers made in a game (9), season (88) and career (172 and counting). Ben’s shooting ability helps creates driving lanes for Lane.”

When Lane was a freshman he was immediately thrust into a starting varsity job, not just as a starter but as the team’s point guard. That particular Conestoga team was lacking in firepower so it was up to our hero, freshman Lane Fox, to take up the scoring slack. Even though he wasn’t terribly sure of himself he took the bit and led the team in scoring.

“I haven’t always been the most confident player and that was sure true when I was a freshman, but working with Coach Ahrens he’s helped me a lot in area. I really feel it started to click for me last year and now I have to watch it or it comes across and me being too confident. I don’t want that, I just want to compete.”

And compete he has his whole life - that happens when your the middle of three boys in the family. Older brother Brook played ball at Conestoga and while his passion for the game maybe wasn’t what Lane’s was, he was still at the gym early most every school morning.

“Brook’s senior year was the year Lane moved up to middle school, so I would tell Lane to be there early and Brook would have to drive him,” says Coach. Problem solved.

Lane credits older brother Brook and Coach Ahrens as major influences in his basketball career but maybe not the most influential. That honor is reserved for Grandpa, Richard Fox.

“Grandpa tells me like it is and he can be a little hard on me because he wants me to be my best but there is nothing better than him giving me a big old hug after the game and telling me I did a good job,” says Lane.

Born in Lincoln, the youngest of the Fox boys is Tyler, who is a junior on the Conestoga basketball team. With Brook out of the house that leaves Lane and Tyler in fierce competition for, well, about everything.

“Especially ping pong and pool,” says Lane, a smile creeping over his face at the memories. “The best is when we play Red Belly Ping Pong. It’s the best.”

Red Belly Ping Pong, you ask? That’s when if you lose a point the other guy gets to slam a batted ping into your belly. Riiight...

Lane is also a brilliant student, 4.0 and NHS, and also plays shortstop and center field for his baseball team. College basketball isn’t out of the possibility but for now Lane’s headed to SCC-Beatrice for his gen eds before transferring to UN-Omaha to get his degree in turf and grass management. “My brother and I have a moving business (Red Belly Lawn Care?) and I sorta doing that, and I love to golf, so it makes sense to pursue that major.”

With the clocking ticking speedily toward the end of his final game of high school basketball Lane has enjoyed the ride, and the company. “I love my teammates. We have been together since little league and we have a lot of heart. Even though we are almost always the smaller team on the court we don’t quit.”

And he loves the memories, both on and off the court. Even when they are one in the same.

In last season’s opener Conestoga won its own little Super Bowl, knocking off rival Louisville on a buzzer beater. Conestoga assistant coach Quinn Conner, the pride of Valentine High, is the excitable sort and in the locker room he always makes the rounds to congratulate his guys. Only this time when he did that he didn’t quite take into account the fact his team was spraying water bottles at each other, not only celebrating the moment but also leaving quite a puddle of high quality H2O on the floor.

“He slipped and landed right on his back. We were all glad he was OK, Coach is a great guy, but I have never laughed so hard in my life,” says Lane, who is hoping to have more to celebrate before he hangs up his Nikes at mid-court.