Minor Setback for a Major Comeback
posted by Amber Gladden | September 13, 2017 | In Bronco NewsCourtney Best, a redshirt senior, is an essential player to Fayetteville State University women’s basketball team. Unfortunately, Best’s career took a bad turn on November 11, 2016 when she tore her ACL and broke her femur in the first game opener at Johnson C.Smith University.
It was the first 30 seconds of the game when Best went up for a rebound and a girl from the opposing team hit her than Best came down on her leg the wrong way and instantly broke her femur and tore her ACL.
She immediately fell to the floor in excruciating pain and cried for help. The injury looked so bad that people got up and left the gym because it was very gruesome.
“It was one of the worst pains I had ever felt in my life and all I could think was this is not real,” said Best.
However, when Best was asked was she afraid at that moment that she would never play again she said no.
One of Best’s closest teammates, Yakima Clifton, said, “I was very mad that she was hurt and at that moment I wanted to fight the girl who did that to her.” The rest of her teammates were emotional as well and the team ended up losing that game.
The next step was for her to face what the doctors had to say and the doctors told Best that she would need surgery and to attend rehab.
Best had surgery a month later and from that point on it was all about her recovery and come back for the 2017-2018 basketball season. Once she was well enough to walk on her leg she began rehab.
Best did not start rehab until the summer. She did rehab with trainers from different places but once school started she began rehab with the trainers here at FSU.
Best has been out for a total of 8 months but she is on her way to recovery and she is progressing very fast.
The team is currently in preseason and Best participates in the running portion and weight-lifting, but she is still restricted from doing drills that involve physical contact. She also said that she still has pain in her leg but she works through it.
Head coach Serena King-Coleman said “Courtney is a very hard-working and determined player, and she has to get used to being back on the court.”
Best is currently not cleared by the trainers completely, but she will play this season.
Her coach and teammates have very high expectations of her. Best has also set very high expectations for herself.
“I plan on getting Player of The Year, Comeback Player of The Year. I plan on getting double digits in scoring, rebounds, and assists,” said Best.
However, her main goal for this season is to win a championship with her team. Best said she is more than excited to be back on the court.
This is Courtney Best’s last year, and she plans to go out with a bang.
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