By Laurence Hilliard
Choctaw Plaindealer
The beginning of Zee Gladney's senior season of basketball at French Camp Academy was delayed due to surgery on her right knee.
“I had a benign tumor behind my kneecap and it was messing with the cartilage in my knee,” she said.
She first experienced pain in the knee last season. “But, I just kept playing," she said. "Over the summer, it started getting worse so I told my mama about it.”
That's when she saw a doctor. “At first I was told it was just a benign tumor and I didn't have to worry about it.”
She was later told that surgery was needed, which was performed Aug. 3. She was able to start practicing at the start of November, but missed a couple of games before being cleared to play.
“The first game I played was Nov. 14," she said. "At first I was scared, but at halftime I decided that I just had to play.”
Gladney has been the Lady Panthers' leading scorer since returning, but she has experienced renewed problems.”I had pain in the thigh, but I kept playing. I was icing it. In the Ethel game, I took a couple of falls. The third time, I landed right on my knee. After the game it was swollen. It was really big.”
That was the last game before Christmas break. Gladney expects to be 100 percent for the next game Jan. 12 at home against Coffeeville.
“My doctor told me to stay off it for three weeks, but I stayed off it for two weeks because I wanted to play. I didn't have any pain so I guess it's okay.”
Lady Panthers' coach Priscilla Anderson certainly hopes her best player will be 100 percent for the remainder of the season. “As a senior, she has really stepped up this year as a leader,” Anderson said.
“She has a scorer's mentality. She will do whatever she can to put points on the board, whether it's shooting the ball or finding an open player.”
Gladney is not sure what she will do after graduating from French Camp.”I'm thinking about going to EMCC in Scooba and maybe trying out for basketball.”
She also plans to join the National Guard to help pay for her education. “I don't want my parents to have to worry about it.”
