Timmy Steffens, a center on the varsity boys basketball team, was injured after playing a game against Brush. The team is now learning how to readjust.

The injury occurred as Steffens was hustling for the ball. He said, “I was going up for a rebound with one of the Brush centers and while we were coming down he elbowed me in the nose, which broke my nose and gave me a concussion.”

After getting hit the way he did, Steffens had to get evaluated by the athletic trainer. He said, “I’ve been out for a week already and I’m supposed to be out for another week.”

Due to Steffens’ injury, the team had to learn to work around it. Steffens said, “We have a lot of players and we have a lot of depth in our team and I think that our team will be fine without me cause we have a lot of talent and it will just give players a chance to show coach how they can play basketball.”

However, being injured has not stopped the sophomore all-star from being apart of the team, and keeping in shape. Steffens said, “So far what I’ve been doing is just light cardio stuff with Heather [Mayfield’s athletic trainer] until I can actually start working out again and then once I get past my concussion test, I’ll be back to practicing with the team.”

Junior Michael Favazzo, the captain of the team, said the team has missed having Steffens. Favazzo said, “It’s a big loss for our program because he helped us with a lot of things down low. He helped us rebound, he was a big factor on our defensive side too and our team has readjusted to it,”

The team has done a good job at keeping on, and doing their normal routine according to Favazzo. “I don’t necessarily think it’s difficult [playing without Timmy] because our guys are always ready to go, and as a team and a sport, we know that injuries happen sometimes and we’re always ready for whatever obstacles are thrown our way,” Favazzo said.

Assistant coach Joe Hayes, who has been coaching the basketball team for three years, said, “What [Timmy] brings to our team is not only basketball talent, but he brings an attitude of excellence, team playing, and hard work.”

Although Hayes believes Timmy is a terrific player and young man, he thinks that the rest of the team is really stepping up a notch. He said, “I do think that other people are picking up the pieces specifically of course always Michael Favazzo and now Denzell Seawood is playing like Denzell can play and it’s just going to be your typical thing like all sports; other people are just gonna have to pick up the piece.”

While an injury for a starting player can hurt a team, Favazzo said a positive came from this. He said, “I think it did make our team stronger because now other guys are able to play and show the coaches their capability and potential that they bring to the table.”

Steffens is expected to play on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at Hudson High School.