By: centraljersey.com
Jasmine Bowen has put such a positive spin on her season-ending injury last year, she might swirl right out of the gym one day if she doesn’t watch herself.
The Lawrence High senior guard missed all but three games with a left ankle injury last season and, coupled with an injury to point guard Amirah Brown, the Cardinals struggled through a tough campaign that featured a ton of close losses.
Both are back this year and the impact is obvious as Lawrence carried a 6-4 record into Wednesday’s game at Stuart Country Day.
On Tuesday, Bowen helped spark the Cards 49-27 win over Hightstown with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Her 10.5 scoring average is third on the team, just behind Lynne Hurley and Daphne Ginn.
When asked if she was 100 percent back, Bowen went a few percentage points further.
"I feel 200 percent better," she said. "I’m a lot better."
Not just physically, but mentally. The way Bowen looks at it, the injury gave her a whole new outlook on life in general and basketball in particular. She has taken nothing but positives from it.
"It was hard but I believe that things happen for a reason and it made me look at the court in different ways with a better view – how to make passes, where to go," she said. "It made me better as a person and it gave me a different view of basketball."
Coach Dana Williams, who has coached Bowen since her days in middle school, sympathized with the guard’s plight last year.
"The worst thing you can tell that kid, is she can’t play basketball," Williams said. "It just shatters her. It killed her sitting on the bench. I think she’s really appreciating every second she has on the court as a senior, she’s making the most of it and she’s doing phenomenal this year.
"It’s really good seeing all her work pay off for her. Basketball is her love."
After her injury, Bowen spent countless hours with the trainer to recover.
"I just ran and did the little things to help my ankle," she said. "I played a little AAU but I was just focused on getting better and healthy."
Her outlook has been part of her success, according to Williams.
"She’s a true firey type, a wears-her-emotion-on-her-sleeve kind of kid," the coach said. "I’m so pleased with her attitude above all, it’s just great. She plays all the time. She got the cobwebs off this summer and when she stepped in the gym this season, you could tell she was on a mission."
Lawrence has a big mission Friday when it visits Steinert for an intriguing match-up.
The Cardinals feature a veteran lineup that has not enjoyed much success until this season, while Steinert is traditionally one of the better Colonial Valley Conference teams but is playing with five new starters this year.
The Spartans are 5-5, while Lawrence is either 6-5 or 7-4 depending on the Stuart game.
If there was a year for the Cardinals to slay the Green Menace, it’s this one.
"I’m so, so curious about this game," said Williams, a former Cardinal two-sport standout. "Even as a player I never beat Steinert. The closest we got was my senior year in soccer, we tied them and went to overtime, then we lost.
"Something in me as a player wanted it and now something in me as a coach wants to beat Steinert. So we are absolutely gonna be up for that game and it’s gonna be a great game, I think. I don’t think we’ve beaten them for 14, 15 years. It would be great to do it with these seniors. They deserve it."
But Williams knows it won’t be easy, as Steinert has won four out of six games. "They have a great coach (in Bryan Rogers)," Williams said. "I really think that’s a true testament to the coaching when you start out a little rough and get better every game and that’s what Steinert seems to do. I’m happy we have them now instead of two weeks from now if that’s the philosophy."
Yeah, but two weeks from now the Cards should be better too, as their coach isn’t too shabby.
Especially with a full lineup at her disposal.

