UTC’s Aryanna Gilbert prepares to take the shot during a non-conference game against Austin Peay Monday. Gilbert scored twenty-six points by the end of the game in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Monday, November 24, 2014.
UTC’s Aryanna Gilbert prepares to take the shot during a non-conference game against Austin Peay Monday. Gilbert scored twenty-six points by the end of the game in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Monday, November 24, 2014.The downside of Aryanna Gilbert missing most of her sophomore basketball season at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga due to a knee injury was that the momentum she had gained from her freshman year was lost.
The positive? She gets an extra year with her sister.
The 5-foot-9 Gilbert had a torn ACL that stripped her of most of her second season. Through eight games, she had averaged 7.8 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Mocs, nearly doubling her averages from her freshman season.
Her sister Keiana was named to the Southern Conference all-freshman team.
UTC coach Jim Foster knows about sibling love. A military veteran for whom today is very special, the Hall of Fame coach joined the Army in 1966 and served until 1969.
Half of that time was spent in Vietnam, where he worked on a supply unit of the 4th Infantry Division, stocking gunships and helicopters.
Toward the end of his tour, his brother John was in camp back in the United States after being drafted. Jim Foster chose to extend for another six months of duty in Vietnam so his brother would not have to go to war.
“As it was explained to me, they wanted us – myself and another fellow – to consider staying for another six months. And part of that discussion, I was made aware that by extending that only one family member at that time could be in a war zone,” Coach Foster said in a 2012 interview. “My brother was in the infantry and I was in a different venue, so I – my parents had two special-needs children and already had one son in the service.
“They didn’t need the aggravation of another.”
Though to a much lesser extent, the Gilberts understand trying to make life a little easier for family. That was part of the reason Keiana chose to attend UTC, and now the two will have the opportunity to play their remaining three seasons together after Aryanna’s injury.
“I’m excited to get to play and finish out my career with my sister,” Aryanna said Tuesday. “When I was out, I took the time to learn the game more, get better and work on some weaknesses.”
Foster said Tuesday that she is probably a little ahead of schedule, considering that her surgery was in January.
“Sometimes injuries are opportunities to grow in other ways and find out more about yourself,” Foster said. “I don’t think it was a hardship for her, because if she had remained healthy she wouldn’t have had the chance to graduate with her sister.”
The Mocs, ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press preseason poll, will open their season Friday against McNeese State in the Women’s Preseason National Invitation Tournament.
The elder Gilbert is ready.
“I think we’ve taken the steps to be ready,” she said. “I’m very excited. I think we have a good group of girls, and I’m excited to see how far we can go.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.