01/24 - King returns home to take on UMES
Written by Shawn Nisson
Even though the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team was playing at home last night, the assembled crowd saved its loudest cheers for a visiting player.
Whitney King, a freshman for Bethune-Cookman and a former standout at Pocomoke High School, was playing her first game on the Lower Shore in more than 10 months after tearing her ACL last March. She got rave reviews from fans at the Hytche Center.
King didn't start the contest, but was the first Lady Wildcat off the bench and was noticeable every time she stepped on the court. She scored seven points in just more than 18 minutes of play, but also grabbed two rebounds, had two assists and recorded a steal in Bethune-Cookman's 47-43 loss to UMES.
King is clearly not at full strength, running with a little bit of a hitch in her stride as she moves around the court. But even though the freshman said she doesn't feel close to being the player she was before the injury, she is just happy to be back on the basketball floor again.
"Right now it feels pretty good," King said of her knee. "It's still a process, and it has good days and bad days. It's a longer process than most people think, but I'm just glad to be out there playing right now. I'm not 100 percent, but I'll get there."
King didn't get the green light from team doctors to return to basketball action until Dec. 1, missing the first seven games of the Wildcats season. Since returning, King has been trying to get back into basketball shape while adjusting to the faster style of play at the Division I level.
The Pocomoke City native's playing time was limited at first, but over the squads six games in January she has averaged six points in 13 minutes of action per game.
Bethune-Cookman head coach Vanessa Blair has been encouraged by King's progress this season and expects big things from the young player as time goes on.
"If you come in as a freshman, anywhere in the country, and you are able to play in your first year that shows the type of player you are," said Blair. "And (King) came in as an injured player and that is usually even more of a setback than just being a true freshman. For her to get minutes out there shows us what the future looks like with her in a BCU uniform, and it looks bright. She has a scorer's mentality, her IQ level is great and she has an uncommon thirst for the game. I think the sky is the limit for her."
Coming into Monday's contest at UMES, King said that she was excited to play for the 60-to-70 familiar faces that were expected to be in the crowd.
"I'm really excited. This will be the first time that people from back home have seen me play since March last year," said King. "It will be good to see everybody in the stands and have people cheering for my team. I'm just excited, the atmosphere is going to be home -- that home feeling I know -- I get that in Florida, but it's nothing like being home."
