When hardship hit, Thompson broke through

This was meant to be a "tough break" story, a tale from the life-isn't-always-fair file.

But Tyler Thompson changed the plot -- for the better -- by making a quicker than expected comeback that turned bad luck into a mere blip.

When Thompson broke the pinkie finger on his shooting hand last month, it looked like a cruel twist of fate. This season was supposed to be his grand finale after three years as a varsity starter on West Aurora's basketball team.

Instead, he was sitting on the bench in street clothes, his finger in a cast and his senior year trickling down, like sands in an hourglass -- day by day, game by game.

It's always pained me to see a high school athlete reach the crowning point of his or her high school career -- their senior year -- only to be befallen by injury or illness. It's gut-wrenching because there are no rainchecks in high school sports.

You only get to be a senior in high school once. You can't do it over. Time marches on, with or without you.

Two days after he was named MVP at the Rock Island Thanksgiving Tournament -- where he averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds -- Thompson's finger snapped during a loose ball scrum at practice. When he looked down at the finger, which was now bent sideways, he knew right away.

The realization that it was broken was more excruciating than the physical pain. He knew he was in for another round of rehab, something he'd become familiar with during a summer bout with tendinitis in both knees.

He just didn't know it would be so thankfully brief. He and his doctor were originally targeting the Pontiac Tournament (later next week) for his return. Well, Christmas came early. Thompson returned Friday night to score a team-high 12 points vs. Wheaton Warrenville South, just three days after the cast was removed, and less than four weeks since the injury on Nov. 26.

Last night's East-West game might have helped expedite his recovery. Thing is, his finger is still broken. While the outside of the bone has hardened, the inside will continue healing for another two weeks.

"The finger is still swollen, the joint is tender and sore, and I can't make a fist yet," Thompson said. "But I've been so anxious to play; the pain is just reality."

Thompson could have taken a "Why me?" attitude to this latest setback, considering his tendinitis flareup in July prevented him from playing at the prestigious national AAU tournament in Las Vegas. He also missed tournaments in Indiana and Massachusetts, losing out on valuable exposure to college recruiters.

Not only did he fall off the recruiting map, but it threw up a red flag as a player who could be injury-prone. Thompson's tendinitis -- similar to what the Bulls' Andres Nocioni has suffered -- was so severe that he couldn't even run off his frustration, per doctor's orders.

"Running was the worst thing I could do," Thompson said. "I could have laid low and felt sorry for myself, but instead I saw it as a perfect opportunity to get stronger and strengthen my upper body since I couldn't use my legs."

In that relatively short time, Thompson bulked up from 185 to 215 pounds and packed on enough muscle to increase his bench press to 275.

His body was football-ready. But his mind wasn't. After playing as the Blackhawks' go-to guy at wide receiver as a junior, he decided to bypass the gridiron this year to focus solely on hoops.

West's football team had one of its better seasons in recent memory, narrowly missing the playoffs. A big play here or there -- the kind Thompson could provide -- might have made a difference, leading to the inevitable question, "What if?"

"I do think about what might have been had I played football, and I've taken a lot of (stuff) from the guys on the football team," Thompson said. "But they and the coaches respected my decision to concentrate on basketball, and I appreciate that."

It's paid off. Last month, Thompson accepted a scholarship from Quincy College, a solid program which has reached the NCAA Division II Tournament in each of the last three seasons.

Barring another, unforeseen injury, Thompson has the rest of his senior year to enjoy, too. It's special, and irreplaceable. Batavia's Nick Fruendt, meanwhile, will have to wait a little longer, as mononucleosis will claim a big chunk of his senior season before he's able to return in late January.

Just because you're blessed with athletic talent doesn't make you immune to hardship, as these two area basketball standouts -- Thompson and Fruendt -- have discovered.

"The (injuries) have really humbled me," Thompson said. "They've made me realize I can't take playing basketball for granted. It's made me appreciate the opportunity even more.

"That's why you have to make the most of every day, every practice and every game."

Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com

West Aurora senior Tyler Thompson, pictured playing Wheaton North last year, returned this weekend from a broken finger.