By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West junior basketball standout Elijah Brooks certainly didn't want to have to fight through an injury earlier this season.
But after going down early in the Chargers’ game against Shawnee Heights with an injury to his left foot and missing West’s final game before the holiday break against Manhattan, the 6-foot-3 Brooks is quickly making up for lost time.
“I rolled it when I tried to stop too quick and I dislocated a bone,’’ Brooks said.
Elijah Brooks
Brooks had to stay off the foot for a couple of weeks, but said that time made him appreciate how much he loves the game.
“It makes you anxious and it makes you look at the game better and see you need to cherish every moment that you play,’’ Brooks said.
Brooks has been outstanding since returning to action, scoring 28 points in West’ 78-60 Centennial League win over Hayden last Friday and following that up with a 29-point performance in Tuesday’s 76-50 win over Emporia.
Brooks went 13 of 16 from the field and one of his misses might have been his best play of the night.
After getting in trouble while driving to the hoop, Brooks threw the ball off the backboard, beat everybody else to the ball and scored on a layup.
“I was kind of stuck in the air so I just threw it and was going to see where it went from there,’’ Brooks said. “I knew I was going to get the rebound regardless.’’
It was an impressive play in what has been an impressive season for the Chargers, who are 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the league heading into a 7:30 Centennial League game Friday night at Highland Park (2-3, 2-3).
“It’s a great time because we can just rely on each other no matter what,’’ Brooks said. “Even if we get in a jam one of us is going to pick us up. We’re a great team because we can always be there for each other.
“We just try to take every quarter at a time, quarter by quarter, game by game. We never look past any opponent. Everybody’s the same.’’
Friday’s boys game will follow a 6 o’clock girls game between the Scots (0-5, 0-5) and the Chargers (1-5, 0-5).
FRIDAY’S GAMES
GIRLS
Topeka West at Highland Park
Hayden at Emporia
Turner at Shawnee Heights
Washburn Rural at Junction City
Riley County at Silver Lake
St. Marys at Rossville
BOYS
Topeka West at Highland Park
Hayden at Emporia
Turner at Shawnee Heights
Washburn Rural at Junction City
Riley County at Silver Lake
St. Marys at Rossville
SATURDAY’S GAME
GIRLS
Topeka High at Junction City
