BILLINGS — Lockwood junior Isaiah Greer is a poster child for fighting through adversity.
Greer has twice torn the ACL in his left knee — once as an seventh grader and again as a freshman.
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“After my second injury hit I kind of realized that really anything can be taken away from you," Greer said. "Just getting through that mental process and being strong mentally, because all I can really do is thank the man above. I thank him every day that he blesses me to be able to play basketball and be out there and compete."
"I just think it speaks to his character. Not a whole lot of people tear their ACL, let alone tear it twice," Lockwood coach Bobby Anderson said. "For him to bounce back, for him to have the internal toughness to get through it and to get through those hurdles — I can't even fathom. I can't understand what it would be like. Watching him grow through this has been a treat for all of us."
Due to the injuries, Greer missed his entire eighth grade season, played just three games his freshman year then was out for the entirety of his sophomore season.
While the physical rehab was grueling, perhaps the most difficult thing was keeping his mind in a positive space.
“You start thinking, 'Will I be better than I was? Will I be worse than I was?' You start comparing yourself, and comparison is the thief of all joy," Greer said. "I just kept thinking that in my head and that i had to stay positive. I stayed positive through it, kept my head up and just knew that God has a plan and one day it'll all come true and all come together."
Greer’s return to the floor has provided a much-needed boost to the Lockwood guys. He’s not the team’s No. 1 option offensively, but he certainly impacts the game on the other end of the floor.
“He can guard 1 through 5 for us. His lateral movement is just special for his size and his build," Anderson said. "He's arguably, if not, our best defender and he shows it every night."
Greer continues to get more comfortable day by day, and he’ll likely be an x-factor for Lockwood at next weekend’s Class A state tournament in Great Falls.
