Brian Molis is living proof that bad things can indeed happen in threes.
In the last year and a half, the Northern Illinois junior missed 11 months of basketball because of arthroscopic knee and ankle surgeries, his mother died of cancer and his grandfather died, too.
”It`s been hell on my family,” says Molis.
If anyone deserved a change of luck, it was Molis, and good fortune is finally coming his way-in threes.
The former second-team all-stater from St. Joseph High School is bombing away from three-point range in his first season as a Huskie. In the last eight games, the 6-foot-4-inch forward has hit 17 of 26 three-pointers and is 21 of 43 for the season.
”He has no conscience . . . that`s what makes him so good,” says NIU coach Jim Molinari. ”He drives me crazy. I`m cautious; he`s not like that.” ”I`m learning how to fit in more,” says Molis, who transferred from Colorado after his sophomore season and has cracked the Huskies` starting lineup the last two games. ”When I first came here, I had to learn how to play different. I play more physical now.”
The fact that Molis is playing at all is a credit to his determination-and trainer Mike Braid, who spent hours in the weight room helping Molis through his physical and mental problems.
”Without him, I wouldn`t be where I`m at,” says Molis, averaging eight points and three rebounds a game. ”He helped me with a lot of things. He`s been awesome.”
Molis has been just short of awesome during his streak. It started with a 10-point effort against Rice, followed by a season-high 14 against Chicago State-both coming off the bench.
He drilled three three-pointers against De Paul and finished with 13 points during Northern`s 70-61 victory last Tuesday, and he helped contain the Blue Demons` David Booth on defense.
”There are no words to describe it,” Molis said after that game. ”All the personal problems and injuries . . . I can`t put tonight into words.
”My mom made it to all of my high school games. She would have wanted to see us beat De Paul.
”It looks like things are finally getting brighter.”
”Games like this help heal wounds,” said Braid.
But Molinari isn`t about to let Molis slide by now.
”I`ve got to stay on him,” he says. ”He`s got so much going for him-he`s bright, people like him-that he tends to get by just doing well with no commitment to excellence.
”In the last year, he`s had to learn a lot about life. All of the adversity he`s gone through has played a big part in his maturity.”
More Top Picks Best Elevated Dog Bowls