Marcus Garrett drove to the basket for a layup, something he had done hundreds of times.
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When the Wabash Valley guard landed, however, there was a sensation in his left knee the likes of which he had never experienced.
“I heard a pop,” Garrett recalled. “It wasn’t really painful. More like a shocking feeling.”
The 2017 Hillcrest graduate sensed trouble — big trouble.
“I tried to bounce back up and I couldn’t,” he said. “I knew right then it was serious.”
Garrett, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound sophomore, had suffered a torn ACL. The injury occurred in the second game of the 2018-19 season.
Suddenly, he knew that chapter was over. He would have to go through an arduous rehab that required as much mental toughness as it did physical strength.
Garrett never flinched.
“I had the surgery Dec. 23 and the very next day I got to work to get back to where I was,” he said. “I kept hearing from people that it’s hard to come back from an ACL and be the same player you were before the injury.
“I stayed positive and never allowed myself to get low.”
From that day in 2018, Garrett has proven the word “can’t” does not exist in his vocabulary.
Garrett was an impact player on the basketball court at Hillcrest. He also was a two-way starter on the football field.
The demands of playing two sports served him well during his rehab.
In August 2019, just eight months after the surgery, Garrett was cleared for full contact.
“Don’t doubt me,” he said. “I used all the negativity as motivation. I have a single mom. I’m not going to give up. That’s not who I am.”
Garrett was as good as ever during the 2019-20 season. He averaged 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists for the Warriors (21-11). He was the only player in conference to finish in the top 10 in all three categories.
Looking back, Wabash Valley coach Mike Carpenter believes Garrett’s year of rehabbing the injury ended up being beneficial.
“It was a blessing in disguise as Marcus used the redshirt year to improve his game, more so on the mental side,” Carpenter said. “Not only did he come back stronger but a more well-rounded player.”
Garrett, who was most proud of his rebounding average, confirmed his knee was as good as ever. He also showed size doesn’t prevent a player from being a factor on the boards.
“A lot of coaches said I’m too small to play at the next level, but I managed to average seven rebounds,” he said. “Height doesn’t matter.”
Garrett was recruited by a handful of four-year colleges. He recently committed to Morehead State, which competes in the Ohio Valley Conference.
“Morehead State is the perfect situation for me,” Garrett said. “They play in a great conference. The coaches were cool and honest and they’re going to give me an opportunity to play.
“I’m going to go there and try to win and compete.”
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Carpenter feels confident Morehead State will be thrilled with its new addition.
“Marcus is a strong, physical combo guard who can score in traffic,” Carpenter said. “And he can really shoot it.”
Garrett, meanwhile, is ready for any challenge thrown his way.
“I’m excited to meet my new teammates and see where I fit in,” he said. “All I want to do is win.”