By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
Ever since she suffered a knee injury two months ago, Missouri Southern guard Robin Kantin has been pointing toward one game.
“At first when I got hurt, I was in denial, so all sorts of thoughts went through my head,” Kantin said. “The first couple of weeks my knee was really weak but through persistence and hard work, I knew there would be a chance that I would get at least a minute.
“My goal was to be able to play on Senior Night and play one last time for my parents because I love them to death. They have been with me through my whole basketball career, so I never stopped believing that I could perform out there.”
The Lions play their final home game of the season at 1 p.m. today against Northwest Missouri State, and Kantin will see action.
Kantin and the other Lion seniors — Fatai Hala’Api’Api, Tynesha Pierce and Ela Zawadka — will be recognized at halftime of the men’s game.
Kantin, from Silver Spring, Md., has played in three MIAA games since her injury. After totaling 12 minutes in two games, she played 25 minutes in the Lions’ 64-53 victory Wednesday night against Central Missouri.
Kantin scored five points to help the Lions open a 20-9 lead in the first 11 minutes. She showed glimpses of her old self, diving on the floor after loose balls and getting knocked down a couple of times when she was fouled, but she got up each time.
“When I fall, it’s actually easier for me to absorb some of the contact,” Kantin said. “I’m not really putting so much pressure on the knee. Falling isn’t any big thing for me. I’m used to falling all the time. If I feel like (I’m falling), I just let it happen. I won’t try to push too hard on the knee. I’ll allow it to happen. It’s fine.”
Lions head coach Maryann Mitts marveled at Kantin’s 25 minutes of play.
“I’m just speechless,” Mitts said, “because you just don’t see that, not in basketball. You may see it in football, you may see it in some other sports, but you don’t see it in basketball, and you don’t see it from a female. That shows you how tough and what a special young lady she is.
“Watching her out there ... yes, she’s a step slow, but she didn’t hinder us in any way. She took shots with confidence, and she really was a floor leader when we needed her to be. I don’t know if the people watching in the stands truly understand what they are watching. They will probably never have another opportunity to watch a young lady play with a torn ACL.”
The Lions (17-7, 8-7 MIAA) and Northwest Missouri (13-11, 8-7) are tied for fourth place in the league, two games behind Southwest Baptist and two games ahead of Central Missouri.
The Bearcats won six of their first eight league games before losing four straight. After two home wins, the Bearcats lost 81-71 Wednesday night at Washburn.
The Lions and Bearcats are led in scoring by their centers. Hala’Api’Api and Pierce both average almost 13 points a game for the Lions, and Mandi Schumacher averages 15.8 for the Bearcats.
The Lions, after falling behind 15-0, beat the Bearcats 65-64 last month in Maryville.
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Kantin provides LIons with key lift
Four seniors make final home appearance today
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