By Marty Hastings/Kamloops This Week
Meghan Faust heard two sounds, neither of which she cares to hear again.
The first was the sound of an ACL tearing and the second was Emma Parmar screaming in anguish.
Faust, head coach of the 琉璃神社-based Okanagan Mission Huskies, knew her Grade 12 student鈥檚 season had ended before it started, the injury coming in the team鈥檚 last practice before their first game of the 2017-2018 B.C. Secondary Schools Girls Basketball Association campaign.
鈥淚 ended up on the ground screaming,鈥� Parmar said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been in that much pain before. It was devastating knowing I鈥檓 in Grade 12, this is my last year and it was all over. It was heartbreaking.鈥�
What made the moment worse was it stamped out three years鈥� worth of rehab. Parmar sprained her left ACL in Grade 9 and missed most of her Grade 10 and 11 seasons.
Parmar toiled strenuously to rehab the knee last summer.
鈥淏asketball has always been a passion of mine,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was doing really well with my rehab and I was ready鈥擨 was ready to play this year. I was super excited.鈥�
Her torn right ACL on Nov. 29 should have been the sad ending to the story.
Then the Saints came marching in.
One of the saints was coach Faust and the other was Cassie Ferguson, a Grade 11 point guard for the NorKam Saints. The Kamloops school was invited to play in Okanagan Mission鈥檚 New Year鈥檚 Classic last weekend in 琉璃神社.
Parmar is still a registered member of the Huskies. She has gone to practices and games all season. If she can鈥檛 play post, she鈥檒l post up on the sidelines and cheer.
鈥淲e had our team picture on Friday,鈥� Faust said. 鈥淚 could see the tears in her eyes. She had her uniform on. I knew it was going to be a really hard weekend for her. I鈥檝e known her since Grade 8. She鈥檚 always been that one kid that sticks out as the hardest-working, that wanted it the most.鈥�
Fast-forward to Game 1 of the tournament, the Saints and Huskies playing during school hours in front of a partisan Okanagan Mission crowd.
The Huskies, the fourth-ranked AA school in the province, went up big in a one-sided affair that would end 75-31, a scoreline rendered meaningless and forgettable by an act of sportsmanship by NorKam鈥檚 Ferguson.
Coach Faust remembered Parmar had her uniform with her at the team picture. With the game already in the bag and a competitive schedule ahead, it may have been the only time to give the hobbled athlete a chance to reach the scoresheet in her senior year.
鈥淚 looked down and thought, 鈥極K, let鈥檚 just put her in and see what we can do,鈥欌�� said Faust, who has been teaching for 11 years. 鈥淗er face was something I鈥檒l never forget. She walked off to put her uniform on. She had the biggest grin. It was one of the most special moments of my coaching career and life.鈥�
Parmar was having a moment of her own in the locker room.
鈥淭he smile on my face was huge and I could not get it off,鈥� Parmar said. 鈥淚 went to put on my jersey and looked at myself in the mirror for the first time. I just started crying. It was really emotional.鈥�
With 1:58 remaining in the fourth quarter, Parmar entered the game.
She was unable to run or jump. She could barely even move. But she set up shop in the offensive zone and her teammates fed her the rock.
One shot鈥攎iss. Another attempt鈥攏o good. A third and surely final prayer鈥攗nanswered.
鈥淚 was embarrassed,鈥� said Parmar, whose peers in the crowd could barely watch. 鈥淢y stomach was in knots. I was super anxious. I just wanted it really badly.鈥�
Ferguson鈥檚 elder sister, Emily, played with Parmar on a select club team two years ago. The Saints鈥� point guard knew enough about Parmar鈥檚 situation to do something about it.
鈥淗er shots just weren鈥檛 dropping,鈥� Ferguson said. 鈥淢y teammate inbounded it to me. There were five seconds left. I just passed Emma the ball and told her to shoot.鈥�
Once again, Parmar was unable to drain the basket. Ferguson snared the rebound and gave her opponent one last shot.
鈥淎t that point, there was only one second left on the clock,鈥� Ferguson recalled.
The Huskies held their breath. 鈥淭he shot went in, the buzzer went and everyone started crying,鈥� Faust said.
Parmar was mobbed.
鈥淭here was not a single person in the gym who had a dry eye,鈥� Parmar said.
鈥淚鈥檒l never forget that moment and that feeling. I鈥檓 so thankful and grateful to her [Cassie]. I was in shock. We鈥檙e not little anymore. It鈥檚 very competitive. For her to make it about more than the game and recognize that, for me, it was greater than that鈥t was just incredible.鈥�
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