LJ g BB: Photos 12/27

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ g BB: Photos 12/28

Photos by Ed Piper

Vike forward Annalyse Abrams

(13) puts up a shot against

Rhyanna Velasco-Martinez (4)

in the third quarter.

A.J. Jacoby (25) takes aim

in the second half against

Central Union.

Carmen Jativa (R)

Soila Chadwick

Annalyse Adams

Coach Nia De la Pena-Thompson

Reagan Bennett (5)

Anatomy of a leg injury - Part 2: Rehab and recovery

By Ed Piper

Log documenting the occurrence and recovery from a common injury, a pulled left calf muscle. I missed the bottom two steps of our stairs and landed on the toes of my foot, causing piercing pain to shoot up through the back of my leg Monday morning, Dec. 23.

Day 3, Wed., Dec. 25 - Christmas Day

I continued my icing several times a day (preferably four treatments per day) with a Zip Loc bag of refrozen refrigerator ice on the painful spot. I could put weight on the foot day 2, Tuesday, after beginning icing.

By Wednesday, I was showing measurable progress toward walking and striding, though with a limp. The philosophy here: It is healthier to treat the leg and begin putting weight on it (though carefully) earlier, than to wait and allow the leg to linger in an injured, swollen state, which does provide assist the healing the body thrives on. As I limped on the left leg, I was already noticing a soreness in my well leg (right) from carrying the unbalanced weight.

Day 4, Thurs., Dec. 26

I began heat treatments after 72 hours (48-72 hours recommended), to be on the safe side. At first, I used an inefficient heating pad my wife has, that plugs into the wall. First, I plugged the heating pad in as I began to use it in hot-and-cold alternating treatments of a few minutes. But then I realized I would never be able to get enough heat on the leg to provide any benefit.

So after one three-to-four-minute period, I kept the pad plugged in, alternating cold (the refrozen ice bag) with hot, finishing with at least 20 minutes of ice (otherwise, the leg could blow up further in swelling).

Through the day, I could measure my improvement in the health of the calf pull by carefully walking on the leg.

Day 5, Fri., Dec. 27

My leg was stiff and sore when I woke up, making sure that I got enough sleep to help in recovery (and rest during the day, as well). It quickly gave way to more movement.

I switched to rubbing heat compound on my leg that I found in the drawer from years ago, the tube of ointment partially used. (I don't remember when I had an injury like this--probably applied heat to my neck or back instead.)

In the absence of Whirlpools or ice baths, I've had to make up my treatment to fit a household where there is no trainer (except me! I took a class at Chico State in treating injuries from the school's trainer). The heat rub is working fantastically--up to four treatments a day, walking on the leg, working toward a natural motion, not an exaggerated limp, which only puts more weight on the affected limb.

In the afternoon, we drove to DSW in Mission Valley for my wife to buy slip-in's (super-convenient). I waited my turn to use the Aetrex foot scanner, a computerized device that measures the length of my feet, the arch, and so forth. The machine prescribed me a 15.5--one less than I wear! I don't know how it got that.

When a little girl was put on the machine by her dad, a little alien creature came on the screen to talk to her--made it enjoyable for her.

While my wife tried on shoes, I stretched my calf (doing this frequently the last two days) by leaning against a wall while standing. Lots of pain, but I take the pain as an indicator of how much improvement I've had and where the calf is still knotted and tight.

Day 6, Sat., Dec. 28

I am making a point of doing four treatments per day, to keep my improvement going. I applied heat rub (Mentholatum Deep Heat) before an 8 a.m. meeting, then did one after I covered a La Jolla girls basketball game at Montgomery High in the South Bay, sitting in the car to apply the ointment (1:40 p.m.). That way, I could still do two more applications--5:10 p.m., then 8:40 p.m.

I sat taking notes during part of the first half of the 12 noon game, so I made a point of getting up and walking back-and-forth at one end of the court to stretch the muscle and do some conditioning (having missed, now, five days of walking, for the most part). When I applied the Mentholatum ointment, I used my fingers to dig in and apply as heavy pressure as I could on the muscle where it hurt the most--again, using pain as the indicator where the leg still needs attention.

I thought of a friend who had a knee replacement and didn't handle the pain well, thinking it was a sign of the surgery not going well. Not true.

Another thought I have carried is of the trainer at Occidental College, Barry Ryan, who treated me for my lower back injury (age 17, a freshman in college). He applied hot-and-cold. He also treated my (frequent) sprained ankles in JV basketball. Barry was a world-known trainer: Kjell Isaakson, a Swedish pole vaulter, came to him for treatment. Barry introduced me one time. Kjell was much shorter than I, 5'8, maybe, but could fly. He was a world-record holder at one time, I believe.

I try to model my treatments after the ones our team trainers used with us at Occidental College, Moorpark College (juco) the next year, then Chico State (Tommy Little--while I didn't make the team at Chico, I did take a course from Tommy, as I've said).

I-C-E: ice, compression, elevation. Also R-I-C-E: rest, ice, compression, elevation.

8:40 p.m. On my last treatment of the day, I could measure, my recovery has been rapid. From Monday, Dec. 23, 6:55 a.m. (the time of the injury), to now, I have improved to be able to not only put weight on the leg, but also to walk more and more normally (as we went to Walmart to get cash for a damaged phone). Remarkable. It's a God thing, as well.

LJ g BB 42, Central Union (El Centro) 67 - Aztec Classic, day 3 of 4

Drew Bennett (left) fights for the ball with

Central's Rhyanna Velasco-Martinez (center)

and Janelle Thomas (right) in the third quarter

of the Spartans' 67-42 win Sat., Dec. 28.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The Vikings, with lead scorer Reagan Bennett on the bench due to foul trouble in the first half, lost the magic touch they had the day before in a win over Olympian, as Central Union (El Centro) (now 8-4) and sophomore guard Victoria Zamora shot threes to pull away for a 67-42 win in the Aztec Classic at Montgomery Classic Sat., Dec. 28.

Coach Nia De la Pena-Thompson's squad cut the Spartan lead to come within nine points in the third quarter. But Zamora's threes continued to rain, and La Jolla could not recapture the mix that led them to dominating wins on the first two days of the post-Christmas tournament in the South Bay.

Zamora scored 28 points, most from behind the arc. La Jolla fell to 10-6 on the season, with an early game scheduled for them in the Classic Mon., Dec. 30, on the final day of the tourney.

De la Pena-Thompson, in her first year as Viking coach, said, "We worked really hard," but they could just not overcome what grew to an 18-point Central lead in the frustrating second quarter.

"We played a box-and-one (on Zamora)," the coach said. Asked if the team learned anything in the loss, she said, "Effort. The girls took over the postgame locker room" and took ownership for their play.

In the early going, the game saw a duel between the two team's stars, Bennett driving for fastbreak baskets and Zamora answering with threes. La Jolla last led, 11-10, with 2:11 left in the first quarter, before the flood gates came down.

LJ's Elena Farrar (10)

drives for a basket.

LJ g BB: Photos 12/27

Photos by Ed Piper

A.J. Jacoby (25, far right) looks

for a rebound after teammate Reagan

Bennett (rear left) shoots.

Defending are Eagles Makayla

Collins (25) and Jenaline Cabute (23).

LJ coach Nia De la Pena-

Thompson holds a pregame

meeting on the court

at Montgomery High.

Vikes' Reagan Bennett (5)

leaps to send pass

to teammate on baseline

against Alyssa Agpaoa (0)

and a hidden Eagles teammate.

Viking team members listen to first-year coach

Nia De la Pena-Thompson (kneeling)

at the beginning of halftime with a 24-point

lead in hand. New assistant coach Ciera Ramirez

is standing to her right.

"We're triplets," say Reagan (left) and Drew

(right) Bennett, who are twins, and

A.J. Jacoby. Obviously identical

triplets.

LJ g BB 86, Olympian 57 - Aztec Classic, Day 2 (of 4)

Viking Reagan Bennett (white

jersey) defends against

Alyssa Lewis (3) of Olympian

bringing the ball up court.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Maybe the Vikings mixed up their holidays. Two days after Christmas, Reagan Bennett and company were sharing the love, which is very much in the season's spirit.

But it wasn't Valentine's Day, and who knows? Maybe they thought they were exchanging gifts because of the just-passed holiday.

In any case, first-year coach Nia De la Pena-Thompson's bunch shared the ball, passed for assists, and distributed the scoring behind Bennett's 27 points: fast Elena Farrar (who outruns her dribble) contributed 17, A.J. Jacoby came off the bench for 16, and senior Carmen Jativa had 8 points, a total of eight Vikings in the scoring column.

La Jolla out-heighted and out-quicked Olympia, 86-57, building a 24-point lead at halftime as Jacoby, providing her physicality, showed a deft touch underneath, receiving passes from Bennett and others to score.

Early in the second quarter, A.J., a sophomore, netted three of four Viking baskets as La Jolla moved out to a double-digit lead.

Asked about her teammate as a "scoring machine", Reagan acknowledged, "She's gotten better at finishing."

On the team's 27 assists, the high-scorer and captain said, "I think through the (young) season, we've gotten better at sharing the ball."

Drew Bennett, Reagan's twin and fellow captain, led the squad in play-making with 7 assists.

Jacoby pulled down 13 rebounds in part-time play, while Farrar added 10.

Guard Elena Farrar (10) fights to keep

possession of the ball against the Eagles'

Alyssa Lewis.

Cypress 63, Del Norte 53 - Torrey Pines Holiday Classic

Cypress guard King Birdsong (11) tries

to zip a pass inside in the opening

minutes of the Holiday Classic's

first game, a 63-53 defeat

of Del Norte Thursday morning,

Dec. 26. (Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Down 8-0 in the first three minutes, and 18-5 to Cypress (Orange County) at the end of the first quarter, Del Norte fought back to close within 10 points of the Cents, 63-53, in the opening game of the 38th Holiday Basketball Classic at Torrey Pines High School Thursday morning, Dec. 26.

Honestly, Coach Chris Johnson's team was never in the game, but the Nighthawks' fight after a long (and cold) three-quarter struggle was admirable. The local team wasn't going to allow themselves to register a blowout in this so-public hoops showcase.

The Nighthawks were still trailing 52-30 at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Guard Ethan Rahmant, a senior, said the battle to come back was kindled by "energy--teammates giving each other energy". Quiet, head bowed after a post-game team meeting, the 5'11" backcourt reserve couldn't explain Del Norte's agonizingly slow start.

He acknowledged it, but said the late-game rally's strategy was "pressing, hopefully (resulting in) turnovers".

In the second game of their own Holiday Classic, Coach John Olive's host Falcons poured it on in the second half to win 58-35 over Spanish Springs (Nevada), after leading only 19-17 at halftime.

Torrey Pines guard Zander Ovies (white jersey)

scrambles on the floor for the ball with Spanish

Springs (Nevada)'s Trevor Landreth

in opening moments. The Falcons

pulled away in the second half

to win 58-35 in the second game

of the annual tourney.