READING -- Lonnie Walker loved the routine he developed during his career as a standout guard for the Reading High basketball team.

He said he'd find his family before games and give his grandma a couple of kisses. Then he'd hug his mom and do the same to his grandpa, who would land a playful punch in the back of the 6-foot-5 sharpshooter's head, sending him onto the court for warmups.

Walker had his first chance in about eight months to go through that tradition Wednesday night at Santander Arena. And this time, he embraced his family not as a Red Knights All-American but as a promising freshman at Miami (Fla.), playing a game the university scheduled here with him in mind.

That moment -- coupled with a pregame stop by his childhood home -- highlighted Walker's day, he said. His five points and No. 11 Miami's 57-46 win over La Salle were gravy.

"Just being able to see my grandmom and my mom, it was unexplainable," Walker said. "My mom and my grandmom crying. They haven't seen my in so long, I gained a few pounds, I look a lot different, so it was a little bit more than just basketball at that moment. My family comes before anything."

Walker developed into somewhat of local icon during his four years at Reading, as he scored a school-record 1,828 points and led the team to its first state championship in March.

Miami scheduled this game at Santander Arena after Walker signed with the Hurricanes, keeping with a pattern in coach Jim Larranaga's scheduling: He tries to ensure players can visit their hometowns during nonconference play.

But Walker's story is a bit different than most. Reading High's fervent basketball fan base adored the athletic wing player, and his presence, success and wide smile energized a poverty-stricken town during a run to the state title.

The crowd roared for Walker through the game, and chants of "We want Lonnie" broke out late in the second half, when the McDonald's All-American took a breather on Miami's bench.

"Things like those don't really come too often, and the fact that it was dead center, Reading, Pennsylvania, I just got off a state championship, now I'm off to a new book, a new chapter -- about two or three days ago it finally kicked in," Walker said. "I got overjoyed, very excited. Just thinking about what my teammates can see out of Reading, what I can see and the fact that I can just be back home."

The Hurricanes came out sluggish on offense, but a stingy defense and La Salle's struggles shooting the ball kept the game close. Walker scored his first basket by rising in traffic on a breakaway layup late in the first half, evoking an eruption from an announced sellout of 6,735.

For Walker, though, his less-crowded kitchen also offered a pleasing environment Wednesday. He surprised his family with a trip to the house before the game, and while there, he ate his first true home-cooked meal since leaving for Miami a few months ago.

"Fried chicken, macaroni, the list goes on and on," Walker said. "Simple soul food."

Walker's grandmother likely won't be able to travel to Miami for games, so Walker cherished this contest. Lauded as a potential first-round pick in the NBA Draft, the Reading native doesn't know if he'll play college basketball beyond this season, and even if he doesn't decide to turn pro, he understands that nothing is guaranteed.

He reasoned that Wednesday's game might be the only time he gets to play in front of his grandma as a member of the Hurricanes.

So he enjoyed it. He soaked in the emotions. And on a night designed just for him, Walker spent as much time as he could time doing what he wanted to do: Talking with his family.

"Just I love you," Walker said. "Simple things. Life has a unique story to it, everyone has their own story behind it. And just being able to see my mom and grandmom one last time before the season starts to kick in, it was amazing."

-- @AaronKazreports