Cedars, March 2018

March 2018 19 SPORTS Career-Ending Injury Doesn’t Hinder Bain’s Legacy by Tim Miller P atrick Bain came to Cedarville as a lengthy but scrawny freshman, and his first year roommate, Evan Kraatz, claims that Bain almost killed him the first day they met. This seemed to be a bad omen for Bain’s basketball career at Ce- darville. On the day the two met, Bain, now a se- nior, had to drive both of them off campus to learn some weight-lift- ing techniques. The driving didn’t go too well for Bain. “We were going like 70 onto a ramp and he had to stop his Honda on a dime and ba- sically drifted around a corner,” Kraatz said. “I was sweating bullets.” Maybe Bain wasn’t the best behind the steering wheel, but he would at least fit in with the team, right? The team goes on a fall break trip to Scioto Hills every year, with an aim to allow the squad to mesh for the upcoming season. Sure, the teammates connected, but Bain didn’t have the best time. “Usually the veterans on the team joke around a little bit with the freshmen,” Kraatz said. “They scared Pat so much that they tricked him into sleeping in the shower.” Bain confirmed this story and said he’s not suffered through many worse sleeping arrangements than he did on that night. Al- though nothing actually happened to Bain, the fear of the unknown led to a stressful night. “I was scared out of my mind and didn’t know what they would do to me,” Bain said. “I picked up my mattress and covers and it was the worst and most uncomfortable thing ever.” Somewhere along his four years, some- thing switched for Bain, and he became a leader on the basketball team. The standout guard became one of the top talents Cedar- ville basketball has seen in recent memory, scoring a conference-best 21.7 points per game in the first 19 games of his senior sea- son. But with less than a minute left in a game against Ohio Valley on Jan. 27, Bain’s incredible career crashed to an end in an instant. Bain’s body went backwards, while his right knee stayed where it was. The re- sult was a torn ACL, which ended Bain’s il- lustrious career at Cedarville. In the coming days, all the signs of a torn ACL were apparent. Bain’s knee was loose after getting it tested with the athlet- ic trainer and he was unable to move his leg the morning after. Bain got his tests and results on the same day, confirming what he and the team had feared the most. The player who had amassed over 1,000 points in his career and was on top of the basketball world, now stood under the stairs in the Callan Athletic Center, knowing that his career was finished. “I couldn’t really process it,” Bain said. “I called my brother and I was just weep- ing.” Bain said hearing his results was the hardest part of the situation. But the turn- ing point came as he was overwhelmed with love and support from his family, team- mates and community at Cedarville. “There’s good days and bad days,” Bain said. “Over the course of the past month or so, I’ve come to terms with the outcome. My phone had been blowing up with messages saying people were praying for me. At that point, you know people care for you.” Messages poured in from those he was close with, like teammate Grant Zawadz- ki, who had been through a torn ACL, and those he’d never talked to, like the father of a player on the women’s basketball team. Bain said the way his professors treated him stuck out during the first weeks of the injury. “That’s one of the greatest things about Cedarville,” Bain said. “There’s no barrier between professors and I. They care about what’s actually going on in my life and are willing to pray for me.” Bain had surgery just two days before Senior Day, and he admitted he should not have attended the festivities. However, he said going out on the court for one last time was something that was sentimental to him, even though Kraatz claims the post- op drugs may have made him a little more emotional than normal. “I was so delusional,” Bain said. “The drugs definitely played a part and I remem- ber being super tired during the game. It may not have been the best idea to go, but mentally it was worth it. I cannot blame the pain medication on me being emotional, though.” With intentions to play basketball competitively once again, Bain looks for- ward to rehabbing fully and having the chance to play overseas. Whether that hap- pens or not, Bain’s legacy at Cedarville will not change. “At the end of the day, Pat is just a great guy,” Kraatz said. “He’s someone who seeks after the Lord, and I loved how he encour- aged me and others. He used the gifts the Lord gave him to his fullest potential.” Tim Miller is a sophomore marketing ma- jor and sports editor for Cedars. He enjoys having a baby face, sipping Dunkin’ Do- nuts coffee and striving to be the optimal combination of Dwight Schrute and Ron Swanson. www.resoundradio.com Listen Online Now! Student Focused Radio 24/7 Patrick Bain