March 29, 2007

     The Jonathan Law senior shut off her cell phone, wouldn't read any local newspapers and imprisoned herself in her bedroom.
     The smile, which seems to be a permanent fixture on Reynolds' face, vanished.
     She didn't want to think about basketball anymore, the sport that she breathed since she was 3-years old and recently helped her earn a scholarship to Bryant College.
     This all stemmed from a missed a shot, where she faced the most pressure in her career.
     With the Eagles trailing Guilford by two points in the SCC tournament semifinals, with only four-tenths of a second remaining, with every pair of eyes in the East Haven gymnasium glued to her, Reynolds missed the first of two free throws.
     Law's first trip to the SCC playoffs came to an end, and the thought of the unsuccessful foul shot continuously replays in Reynolds' head to this day.
     A week later though, she scored a game-high 14 points against Sacred Heart Academy in the opening round of the Class L state tournament.
     The combination of her 5-foot-9 frame and her athleticism allowed her to shut down the Pacers' point guard.
     And more importantly, she came up with three straight plays down the stretch -- a floater, a steal and a three-point play -- that sparked a late run and helped Law avoid an upset.
     Reynolds took advantage of that opportunity to redeem herself.
     However, the sense of resurgence is nothing new to her.
     In August 2005, four days before her 16th birthday, Reynolds was playing in a tournament for Law's summer league team at Assumption College.
     After receiving a pass on a fast break, Reynolds leaned in for a lay-up, but at the same time a defender bumped her in the opposite direction.
     Reynolds' knee buckled. The pain was excruciating, the worst she ever felt.
     Consequently, unpleasant news followed. The rising junior learned she tore her ACL, which meant the Eagles' standout volleyball and basketball player would miss both seasons.
     She had paid her dues as an underclassman.
     Reynolds was just starting to come into her own on the volleyball court and when it came to impressing college basketball recruiters, she knew her junior season was most important.
     Reynolds didn't want to accept the doctor's findings, so she sought a second opinion.
     But the news only worsened. The second doctor told her she tore her MCL as well.
     "I just started balling," Reynolds said. "I couldn't stop crying."
     Prior to her injury, Reynolds admits she didn't have to work as hard as everyone else because of her natural athletic talent.
     After all, it's in her genes.
     Reynolds' father Kenny Higgs played three seasons in the NBA and her godfather George Rogers won the Heisman Trophy as a running back for South Carolina.
     Reynolds picked up a volleyball for the first time her sophomore year and immediately became a top player on a Law team that made a run to the state championship game.
     On the basketball court, she was an instant starter for the Eagles.
     But the injury changed her perspective.
     During her junior year, Reynolds could only watch as the Law volleyball team was upset in the SCC and state tournaments.
     Come winter, it only became worse as the basketball team suffered through an 8-13 season.
     Even though Reynolds couldn't play in the spring, she still attended AAU practices that were more than an hour away.
     She missed the volleyball practices that occasionally turned into dodge ball games, as well as the atmosphere surrounding the cross-town battles against Foran High.
     Her newfound hobby of yo-yoing wasn't cutting it. Reynolds wanted to be back on the floor.
     She knew her talent alone wouldn't allow her to catch up. As a result, her work ethic improved.
     Rehab was four days a week. On her days off, she exercised regularly on her own to strengthen her leg and speed up the recovery process.
     Most athletes return after six to nine months following ACL surgery. It took Reynolds five.
     "When I tore my ACL I had to work five times harder," Reynolds said. "I can't take things for granted. I need to work hard if I want to achieve things. Now, I know life is a struggle."
     Reynolds tested her knee for the first time during an AAU game last June.
     She turned the ball over on her first possession. But it didn't matter, she was just happy to be back.
     Her leaping ability helped her thrive in volleyball.
     Reynolds could grab the rim before her injury, but when she returned, she couldn't jump like she used to.
     Reynolds didn't feel an improvement until the end of volleyball season, but she still managed to earn All-State honors as she helped lead Law to another state championship game appearance.
     It wasn't until February, in an overtime win over Hillhouse, that Reynolds' knee was at full strength. That game she posted a triple-double.
     When Reynolds has been part of the Law basketball and volleyball teams, they've flourished.
     The volleyball team made two state title runs with Reynolds suiting up as middle hitter, but during her junior season weren't as successful.
     In Reynolds' four years at forward, the basketball team only finished with one losing season -- the one she missed.
     Coincidence? Maybe, but Law basketball coach Bob Asmussen doesn't think so.
     "She was part of 42 wins in her three years," Asmussen said. "Being part of that is special in itself and she was major factor."
     Just over a month ago, Reynolds didn't want anything to do with basketball. She just wanted to escape.
     When she went through her ACL injury she missed the sports, and now that feeling is back.
     She attended state tournament games to see her friends play.
     A week after the season ended with a second round loss to Fairfield Warde in the state tournament, Reynolds still put her basketball gear in her car to go to practice, completely forgetting it was over.
     Reynolds remembers when Eagles volleyball coach Mike Brienza told her to "take over" against Morgan during a quarterfinal match her sophomore year.
     She responded with team highs in kills and blocks as she led Law to the win.
     On the basketball court, Asmussen said Reynolds was an unique player.
     She was able to handle the ball well, but could also play with her back to the basket.
     She frustrated opposing guards, but could also defend in the post and averaged close to a double-double and earned All-SCC honors this season.
     As she reminisces about her time at Law, Reynolds says is pleased with her career -- with a smile properly back on her face.