By Mike Hogan, Staff Writer
Courtney Stockard is no stranger to adversity. The redshirt junior started off his collegiate basketball career at Allen Community College in Kansas and then transferred to St. Bonaventure, but missed each of the last two seasons with serious foot injuries. Finally healthy and able to contribute on the court, Stockard, along with teammate LaDarien Griffin, talked about his perseverance and grit that has brought his career back into the light this season.
Stockard has played in all 18 games this season, averaging just a little over 28 minutes per game, 11.3 points per game and six rebounds per game. Stockard has made a huge impact in the lineup this year and has no shortage of great moments in his return season. He is described as an unselfish player and a gamer by many of teammates and coaches. His play speaks for it, too.
Stockard has certainly made a huge impact in his return season, making a number of big-time plays to secure some thrilling victories for the Bonnies. From his game winner in the final seconds against the University of Maryland, his charge that saved the game for the Bonnies in their long-overdue overtime victory at Syracuse University and his game-winning bucket against St. Joseph University just last Wednesday night, Stockard has certainly proven himself.
“It’s a huge relief for me to be able to be out there with my guys,” said Stockard. “Just being able to play the game that I love, it shows how much perseverance and how mentally tough I was to be able to keep pushing after two setbacks. Sitting out for two years definitely got to me a little bit, and sometimes I questioned if I even wanted to play basketball anymore.”
While Stockard’s teammates and coaches were there to give him motivation while he was recovering from his injuries over the last two seasons, it was someone else who was the true driving force to never giving up on the game that he loved.
“My motivation to not give up really came from my mom,” said Stockard. “She taught me as a young kid that everything happens for a reason because she’s a big Christian. She taught me that God makes no mistakes and realizing that helped me get through the situation easier.”
Although Stockard has a lot to be proud of, he’s stayed levelheaded and humble while focusing on the big picture for his team.
“As far as me, I think I am playing decent basketball,” said Stockard. “I feel like I could be playing a little better at this point, but it’s all about making adjustments and improvements and going through the film to get better. Going forward, I want to be the guy that steps up when Jay [Adams] and Matt [Mobley] are struggling. I want to be able to provide at both ends. Whatever the team needs.”
Junior forward Griffin expressed the joy that he has seeing the success that Stockard has been able to have after the hardships he has had to endure over the last two seasons, and Griffin was there to see the recovery process firsthand both times.
“We came in together,” said Griffin. “We knew how good of a player he was, and after the first one (injury), you feel for him and want him to be happy and successful. Then after the second one (injury), he didn’t sulk about it; he just kept fighting through adversity. Now we get to see Courtney have all of this success, and it’s something we all knew he could do.”
Even when Stockard was unable to play over the last two seasons, his love for the game of basketball didn’t go away.
“Courtney is such a fighter,” said Griffin. “He’s fought through so much adversity. It’s cool to see that someone that went through so much was still there giving us advice when he was hurt and helping us get better.”
In reference to his performance on the court, Griffin is not the least bit surprised on how Stockard has been able to come up big for this Bonnies team this year, and a large part of that success on the court has to do with Stockard’s unselfish play.
“He’s a gamer,” Griffin said, laughing. “He’s a big-time player that makes big-time plays when it matters, and he does all of the little things to help us be successful.”
Stockard certainly has put together a nice season so far in his comeback year, but he made it clear that he will not settle with just this, and that there is more to come from him through more hard work and determination. It is evident by what Griffin said, Stockard is a team player and is willing to do whatever it takes for the team.
