Freeman gets deal with Polish pro hoops team

Marke Freeman’s bags have been packed for a couple of weeks and now she’s off to Europe.

The Lanphier High School graduate has signed a one-year contract to play professional basketball in Poland for Tecza Leszno in the PLKK, a Polish League. The season starts later this month and lasts through March.

Freeman is driving today from Springfield to Chicago where she’ll pick up her passport, stay overnight, board a 10-hour flight Thursday to Warsaw, Poland, and then hop on a two-hour flight to her final destination: Leszno, which is located in central Poland.

Freeman, 22, was in negotiations for two weeks, so Monday’s phone call didn’t come as a complete surprise.

“I was packed and ready to go,” she said. “I just didn’t know when that phone call was going to come.”

Freeman, a 5-foot, 5-inch guard, has awaited a chance to head overseas since March, when she wrapped up her playing career at Northern Illinois University. She averaged 16.1 points, poured in 49 3-pointers and snagged 74 steals as a senior.

Poland = Melting pot

In the meantime, Freeman participated in multiple free agent camps and played for the Rock County Robins in the Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League. Freeman helped Rock County win a national championship last month, leading the team with 19 points in the title game after missing four weeks with a fractured foot. The WBCBL is made up of international players and former college, NWBL and WNBA players.

“All summer I had an agent working for me,” Freeman said. “We were talking to a couple of teams in Poland, a team in France and a team in Germany.

“Basketball in Poland is really growing. I know about four girls who I’ll be playing with in the same conference. It had a little to do with my decision. I won’t be over there completely alone.

“I can’t wait to get over there and compete against people from all over the world.”

- Marcia Martinez