Chelsea Jones could hardly contain her excitement.
Although she had logged many minutes in a Chattanooga Christian basketball uniform for three seasons, her future had been in question since she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee less than a month ago. But when the Best of Preps tournament began, Jones returned to the lineup for the first time since deciding to put off surgery until after the season.
In the seconds leading up to her checking into Monday’s game, Jones admitted she was a nervous wreck.
“It probably sounds weird because I’ve played in a lot of games, but once I knew I was about to go back in I felt jittery,” Jones said. “I couldn’t wait. It was like I hadn’t played in years. To be honest, my knee injury wasn’t even in my mind. All I could think about was just getting back out there with my teammates.
“I made a determination after the doctor said I could still play if I wanted that I would do whatever it took to get back. I didn’t work this hard to come back my senior year and not play. If nothing else, at least I’m an example to my team of how much I want to be with them.”
Within the first minute of her return to the court, the knee buckled again and Jones had to pick herself back up and limp to the bench, where she quickly regained her composure and was asking to get back on the court.
Since she had torn the same ligament in her right knee last season, Jones knew what she was facing. Surgery meant her high school career was over, and that simply wouldn’t do. So after being told by her doctor that she couldn’t damage the knee further, Jones opted to play through the injury, knowing her effect on the game would be limited.
She likely will not play more than 10 minutes in any remaining game, but the limited minutes and bulky knee brace won’t keep Jones off the court. Neither will they keep her mouth shut even when she’s on the sideline. An emotional leader since her freshman season, Jones is instant energy on the court and continually yelling instructions and encouragement when she’s on the bench.
“I asked her to chart rebounds one game just to give her something to do so she wouldn’t be yelling the whole time,” Lady Chargers coach Pam Hindman said. “When the game was over, the chart sheet was still completely blank because she had gotten so focused on yelling during the game she forgot to do anything else.
“I’d take her with one leg because of the leadership she brings. We know she won’t be 100 percent physically until she has surgery, but she’ll bust her chops giving us everything she’s got when she’s out there, and she’ll push everybody else no matter what.”
In Hindman’s previous 12 seasons as coach, CCS had had three players suffer ACL injuries. Jones is the third senior on this year’s team to miss substantial playing time because of a knee injury.
“The ACL injuries took us from a likely state-tournament team to one that’s just trying to get to the region tournament,” Hindman said. “This has been the most frustrating thing I’ve dealt with because I can fix a shot problem or footwork or defensive rotation, but I can’t fix knees.
“We’re still struggling for an identity, even with six seniors, because the three kids who have been injured were so important. But just having C.J. back out there with her attitude, even for a couple of minutes, is something that is a big positive for us.”
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.