Cougars court star finds injury had a silver lining

The bag of ice on Macaela Crone’s left knee is a cold reminder of her 2016-17 high school basketball season.

Just three games into her Grade 12 year with the Moose Jaw Peacock Toilers, Crone tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.

Now a second-year forward/ guard with the University of Regina Cougars, she has learned to appreciate another side to the injury.

“It was a very devastating moment in my career,” Crone said after Friday’s 86-53 win over the visiting UBC Okanagan Heat, adding that “it was something that has helped me to be the person and teammate that I am today.

“It’s weird ... you think you don’t want an ACL tear, but I’m very happy that it occurred. It has made me a way stronger person.”

Crone already had earned an NCAA scholarship to Louisiana Tech University before the injury. She caught the Lady Techsters’ attention while averaging 7.6 points per game in Canada’s gold-medal performance at the 2015 FIBA America’s under-16 championship in Mexico.

She played just three games with Louisiana Tech before returning home to Moose Jaw. Crone spent last winter deciding where she wanted to continue her studies and play basketball.

“I thought (the Cougars) were a really good fit, with head coach Dave Taylor and the team that I was around,” said Crone, who is studying business administration.

“My sister (Kehlsie) used to play here. Being from Moose Jaw, I can go home on the weekends if we have a bye.

“Even on a Thursday night, I can go home for a home-cooked meal. Family is what really matters to me.”

Macaela wears No. 8, the same number Kehlsie wore during her four stellar seasons with the Cougars.

“It’s our family number,” Macaela said.

Kehlsie began her post-secondary career at Weber State in Utah but elected to leave the school in 2010 after just one season. Taylor had recruited Kehlsie before she headed to Weber State and she opted to join the Cougars in 2011.

Macaela followed a similar route, joining the Cougars after one semester at Louisiana Tech.

“At the time, Louisiana Tech was the best opportunity that I had to play Division I in the United States,” Macaela said.

“Obviously, I came home and that’s what matters. Did I want to do the same thing as Kehlsie? That wasn’t the plan, but I’m very happy where I am.”

So is Taylor.

“(Macaela) is a skilled player,” Taylor said.

“She’s six-foot-two and she can shoot the ball. I don’t think she understands how good she can be and she would be the first to say that she has to have a consistent compete level. When she plays hard, she’s a tough matchup.”

Crone has started 13 Canada West games this season, averaging 10.4 points and 7.1 rebounds while hitting 41.7 per cent of her threepoint attempts.

She credits her parents (Vaughn and Tammie) for her versatility.

“My dad made sure since I was a little girl that I wasn’t a one-position player and that I could play the whole floor,” Crone said.

“My mom would come in the gym and rebound for me when no one else could.

“My parents played a big role in where I am today.”

The Cougars clinched a playoff berth for the 24th consecutive season by beating the Heat 82-43 on Saturday.