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Men’s Basketball: Inspiring leader
Men’s Basketball: Inspiring leader
Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • February 5, 2011
The Mobile Press-Register UL’s La’Ryan Gary takes a shot over a South Alabama defender during his 18-point performance in which he played 36 minutes in Sunday’s road win.
The play provided inspiration, a direct result of La’Ryan Gary’s dedication to recover from a devastating knee injury suffered nearly two years ago.
Once down to UL by double digits, North Texas pulled within seven points with nine minutes left in a Sun Belt Conference game on Jan. 27 in the Cajundome. The Mean Green had a chance to get even closer before Gary made what might have been the defensive play of the season for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
UNT guard Shannon Shorter rebounded a missed shot under UL’s basket and quickly fired an outlet pass ahead to teammate Dominique Johnson, who had a clear path to the basket. Gary, though, sprinted from midcourt to deny Johnson’s easy bucket, swatting his layup attempt off the backboard.
Gary later added a monstrous dunk and two free throws down the stretch as part of a 14-point, five-rebound effort in UL’s 93-88 win. But it was his blocked shot in the second half that stood out in an upset of the defending conference champions.
"When La’Ryan ran full court and blocked that shot, there was no way we were going to let him down," said UL guard/forward Travis Bureau. "There was no way we couldn’t defend after seeing him do that."
The fact Gary is expected to play tonight when UL (7-14, 4-5 Sun Belt) faces Arkansas-Little Rock (13-11, 5-4) in the Cajundome is a small miracle given what happened to the senior forward on March 4, 2009.
On that night, the Cajuns played Florida International in a first-round Sun Belt tournament game in the Cajundome. With 2:21 left in the first half, Gary suffered a gruesome injury to his left leg while making a backdoor cut to the basket. His leg was placed in an aircast, and he was carted off the court.
UL lost the game, 71-69. The news was even worse for Gary: He had a torn patella tendon, dislocated knee cap, broken tibia and torn knee ligaments.
"It actually happened right when I jumped off of it," Gary said a few weeks after his injury. "I didn’t feel it until I came down and looked at it. That’s when everything clicked in my head."
Gary, a former St. Thomas More and Carencro standout, faced a long road of recovery to get back on the court.
Unable to play last season after undergoing surgery, he still traveled with the team and worked as a student assistant coach while rehabbing his knee.
That experience allowed him to see the game from a different angle. It also took away some of the sting that came from being unable to compete. Eventually he realized that he wanted to coach whenever his playing career was over.
"It helped me still be a part of the team since I wasn’t able to practice or play," Gary said earlier this season. "I just tried to help my teammates and give them motivation."
Now healthy enough to play again, he continues to motivate his teammates on the court. Gary, once known for his high-flying acrobatics, can only practice every other day but still shows flashes of his athleticism. He is averaging a career-high 9.1 points in only 17 minutes per game this season.
Gary has played especially well during UL’s recent four-game winning streak, averaging 15 points a night in that stretch.
"He has certainly been the heart and soul of our team," Marlin said. "Even though he doesn’t always practice, he has lifted the spirits of his teammates. Our guys respect what he’s been through. He’s got a big heart and is a great competitor."
Perhaps even more impressive is that Gary earned his undergraduate degree in December after sitting out his first year of college to become academically eligible.
"It’s been special to see him walk across that stage and run up and down the court this season," Marlin said. "He has a good understanding of the game and has a very good work ethic. He wants to be a coach, and he’s going to be a good one."
Athletic Network Footnote: Click here for the photo gallery of the Jan. 21-22, 2011 Basketball Reunion
Click here for the January 18, 2003 Basketball Reunion
Click here for the Nov. 1-2, 2001 Shipley Basketball Reunion
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