Braced For Action Cheney Girls Hoops Team Feeling Effects Of Knee Injuries; Coach Hopeful Tide Will Turn

SPORTS

Watching Cheney’s girls basketball team in action, something is likely to strike you:

They’re sure are a lot of players wearing knee braces.

You’d be right, too.

The Blackhawks have been cursed with a rash of knee injuries dating to the end of last season.

Four of the 10 players on varsity, including two starters, are hobbled by knee injuries. It’s put a serious crimp in the Blackhawks’ season.

“It’s frustrating,” Cheney coach Marty Jessett said. “It’s bad luck. It’s bad timing.”

And it has caused Cheney to play a completely different game.

Normally a pressing, running team, the Blackhawks have been forced to slow their game and play more of a half-court offense.

“For our team, it’s better to play slow,” Jessett said. “That’s been a big adjustment.”

It’s especially been a big adjustment at point guard.

Junior Brittney Van Matre, last season’s point guard, and senior Kelley Brannan, another guard, have been unable to start at point because of knee injuries.

Point guard is position were speed is a prerequisite, and knee injuries tend to decrease speed. Noticeably.

Jessett has been forced to use a freshman at the point, and, understandably, there have been some growing pains. The Blackhawks have given up nearly 30 turnovers a game in rough early going.

“As the season progresses, they’re going to get better, and we’re going to get better,” Jessett said.

Van Matre’s injuries have been especially frustrating.

Last February, she had reconstructive knee surgery, and, after an off-season of hard work was healthy. But early this season, she tore the meniscus in her knee. The injury will likely require surgery, but she hopes to wait until after the season.

In the meantime, she plays with a lot of pain.

“It really hurts,” said Van Matre, who has been playing mostly wing this season. “I can feel (my kneecap) move in and out.”

Brannan had athroscopic knee surgery early in November to clean up her knee problems. She waited until after volleyball season ended before she had surgery.

She missed the first three weeks of the basketball season.

“The swelling hasn’t gone down,” Brannan said. “I should be better, but I jumped into sports right away. …”

If the swelling doesn’t go down, it could mean more surgery in the off-season.

Senior Shea Smith, a key reserve who plays in the post, has had a lot of bad luck with her knee. Playing softball her sophomore season, Smith dislocated her knee sliding into a base and tore a ligament in her knee.

Near the end of basketball season, Smith partially tore another knee ligament, and she missed the final four games.

She’s never had surgery to repair either injury, as it would affect one of the three sports she plays. As a result, she’s not nearly 100 percent.

“I’m not as fast as I was, and I can’t jump as high,” Smith said.

Senior Kristen Whitfield strained a ligament earlier this season and has yet to come all the way back.

But, there is a silver lining to Cheney’s injury cloud.

By the end of the season, the Blackhawks figure to be a pretty tough team.

Injuries will heal, and the freshman on varsity will only gain experience.

“I think by January we will be playing much better basketball,” Jessett said.