I play on the varsity basketball team for Northland High School. We have a lot of talent, but the other schools in the conference are much bigger and have powerhouse basketball programs. We faced the best team in the conference, the Prentice Buccaneers, at home last night. One senior, an all-conference post man, had his season end in ruins.It started out just like every other game. In warmups, we stared across the court at players who sometimes had about six inces and 25 pounds on us and wondered how we would fare this time. We usually held our ground every night and kept the score respectable, but we knew we were in for a tough battle tonight. The buzzer sounded to warn us that there was one minute until the tip.
The starting lineups were announced. Prentice consisted of 6′ 4″, 6’2″, 6′ 5″, 6’7″, and 6’8″ players. We consisted of 5’8″, 5’9″, 6’0″ 6’1″, and 6’9″ players.
The tip went to Prentice. An ally-oop pass was thrown from the left wing. Out of nowhere, a 6’5″ Buccaneer lept up, grabbed the ball with one hand and threw it down. We were down 2-0 and only six seconds had gone off the clock.
The game was back and forth in the first quarter and we actually had the lead 18-17 with 1:17 to go. There was a loose ball at halfcourt. Two of our players and one Prentice player got tangled up just outside the circle. The Prentice player, the all-conference 6’8″ post man, put his arm out to break his fall. A hair-raising scream filled the gym.
“My arm! My arm! I broke my arm!” he yelled. As he rolled around, he faced the crowd. Everyone turned away in horror and a few mothers covered their children’s eyes. His arm was broken in two places. It had just shattered and folded in on impact. The gym was dead silent except for the player moaning on the floor. The trainer called for the ambulence and it finally arrived an hour later because of backed up traffic.
As I started at the injured player. I realized just how lucky I am to be healthy enough to play basketball. How lucky I am to even be alive. He was a senior. He was probably going to play college ball at a division two or three school. In just a split second, going after a loose ball, his life had changed.
Our coach got a report on his condition the next day. He had a double compound fracture in his right arm. The docters placed plates, bars, and screws in his arm. He will never play basketball the same again. If he does play, he will have to learn how to shoot left handed.
The colleges probably will lose their interest in him. He won’t play competitive basketball with a school ever again. I can’t even imagine the pain, physical and emotional, that he is going through.
3 replies on “A dream season ended.”
proof read this buddy overall I don’t think the story was well written and there were some key mistakes. not really sure how this got to be a front pager…
otherwise here’s what i have to say:
horrible ending to what was probably a great career for that player. but it seemed like he got hurt playing hard. great players always play hard and they know in the back of their minds this could be the last time they put on their jersey. looking back when he is older, he probably wouldn’t want it any other way.
maybe your team could do something for him, help cheer him up… I am sure he would appreciate it greatly, no matter if it’s just a simple card or something.
He is making a speedy recovery. We sent him a card a few days ago. He and his family sent us a thank you card just yesterday saying that the surgery went well and that he wants to help the team out next season as an assistant coach. I guess he can’t leave basketball just yet.
ok this is rediculous i am from phillips and i know that prentice has never had a team this and also that whether the game was in eagle river or in prentice there is no way that a ambulance could be held up because of traffic. a car drives by every 5 minutes on main highways there.