After years of injuries, Chaplin on the court to stay

“It’s great to have her back for longer than half a semester,” IU women’s basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack said before laughing.

Her sense of humor is clear, but the entire team knows just how true the statement is.

After missing 61 games in her first three years at IU due to injury, junior center Sasha Chaplin is back and stronger than ever. She has played, in all, 20 regular season games this year, and started in 14 of them.

The 6-foot-4 center began the 2008-09 season with promise. As a true freshman, she served a team that would eventually go 21-11 as a solid bench player. She averaged 4.9 points, four rebounds and 1.1 steals per game on 73.1 percent shooting in only 12.9 minutes per game. During her eighth game, however, she hurt her knee, forcing her to sit out the remainder of the season.

She was able to attain a redshirt after the season, extending her collegiate career by one year.

Chaplin took a step forward in the 2009-10 season, playing in 20 out of 30 games and starting 16 times. Her production also increased as she averaged 9.3 points and seven rebounds per contest.

In 2011, Chaplin faced another setback. She was unable to play in the first 10 games due to a toe injury and hurt her other knee in only her second game back. She was forced to shut down the rest of her sophomore season.

Because of these nagging injuries, Chaplin had only participated in eight Big Ten games before this year.

“I’m not used to playing during this time of the year,” Chaplin said. “It’s weird to say, but in my past three years I’ve never made it past the halfway mark of the season.

“We’re into Big Ten play, and I haven’t quite played any of these teams in the Big Ten. It’s exciting, and I’m just embracing it more and trying to help the team get wins.”

She has indeed helped. Through IU’s 20 games so far, Chaplin is first on the team in rebounds, second in blocks, free throw percentage and field goal percentage and third in steals.

In addition to her on-the-court performance, Chaplin has stepped up to help lead a young and inexperienced IU team after its senior captain, Georgie Jones, went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament only six games into this season.

Chaplin said she has tried to strike a balance between her on- and off-court leadership.

“Off the court, you see a different aspect of the game, so you’re pointing out to the players that are currently playing,” she said.

“When you’re out there on the court, it’s more seeing everything but also doing what you preach. You can’t just say something out there on the court and not do what you say because it’s kind of contradicting yourself.

“It’s been a task at times, but I know if I go out there with overall effort and show I’m playing my hardest, I know my teammates will follow.”

Chaplin said she has also disregarded any fear of re-aggravating her injuries. Instead of holding back, she’s going all out as if nothing ever happened.

“At this point, it’s kind of like, just go out there and play,” she said.

“I know that injuries happen all the time. I’ve done everything in the post season and offseason to help prevent that. That’s doing very well for me right now. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen, but if not I’m not thinking about it.”

Although the team is 5-15 on the season, Chaplin said she is enjoying and just happy to be back on the court.

“It’s been fun to say the least,” she said with a smile.