Crown Point senior guard Kingston Rhodes has mostly warm memories of Michigan City, where he and his teammates won back-to-back Class 4A regional titles.
But Rhodes won’t remember his most recent trip to the Duneland Athletic Conference rival’s gym so fondly. The Bulldogs won that game on Jan. 9, but he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee with about a minute left and needed surgery.
So sectional champion Crown Point’s return for the Michigan City Regional on Saturday will have extra meaning for Rhodes, who is playing again.
“Just blessed to be able to play in a sectional championship and a regional again with my guys, back on the floor with them,” he said. “It feels great. I just thank God I was able to come back from my injury and get back out there and win another sectional championship for Crown Point. It’s a blessing.
“When they told me what my injury was, I was devastated. But I took the time through rehab. My coaches and family were telling me it was going to be OK, that I was going to be back out here soon. I was like, ‘Yeah, you’re right.’ I just kept my head up and stayed strong through the rehab. It went well, really good. I just thank all my trainers. They got me through it, got me strong. I was able to come back and play good.”
The 5-foot-9 Rhodes missed nine games for the Bulldogs (22-1), who are ranked No. 4 in the state coaches poll and will play No. 16 Chesterton (22-4) on Saturday. He returned Feb. 20 for his senior night and scored 15 points against Lake Central.
“It was the perfect night to come back and help my team win,” Rhodes said. “That was amazing.
“I felt like I’d get back on the court, no matter what it was. I just had to deal with it. I was just thinking about the team the whole time, paying attention more to detail. I had to take it step by step. Especially it being my senior year, getting cut short, it definitely was tough. But I just trusted God.”
Crown Point coach Clint Swan wasn’t so sure Rhodes would be back.
“We’re returning to the scene of the crime here,” Swan said. “I seriously thought he was probably done for the year. There’s some real gratitude on his part that he’s even getting to play. He’s appreciating these moments.
“To see him back out there in that Lake Central game during the regular season on senior night, it was such a joy to see him out there. He always appreciates playing, but he appreciated it even more, just being able to be out there.”
A third-year starter, Rhodes averaged 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals during the regular season as the Bulldogs won their third straight DAC title but first outright. Their undefeated run through conference play included an 84-62 victory against second-place Chesterton on Jan. 26.
Rhodes missed that game, as well as the Bulldogs’ 74-60 loss to 21st Century on Jan. 31. His twin brother, Kaiden, adeptly moved into the starting lineup for each of the nine games.
“He was accomplishing a lot in the first half of the season,” Kaiden Rhodes said. “The injury took a little toll on him, messed with him a little bit. But he’s back, and he’s just getting a little more used to it. He’s getting more and more comfortable. He’s pretty much back.”
Swan is glad to have Kingston Rhodes on the court again.
“Not having him was tough because he’s kind of a security blanket out there for us,” Swan said. “It’s like when he’s out there, everything’s fine. So when he was out, we were very worried. But Kaiden was like, ‘I’ve got this.’
“One thing that’s happened when Kingston was out, everybody else elevated their play. That was impactful. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not glad he got hurt. But while he was out, we did get better. Now having him back in the mix, it speaks to the type of player he is, that he could be out that long and he gets inserted back into the lineup and it’s just seamless. We’re not having to reinvent the wheel. It speaks to the type of player he is and the type of players on the rest of the team.”
Colleges have noticed too. Rhodes’ offers include Trine and Manchester.
Rhodes, who posted 20 points, five rebounds and four assists in the regional win against Portage last year, aims to play in college after another long postseason run. The Bulldogs lost to Fishers at semistate in each of the past two seasons. But in a sectional final last week, Carmel stunned top-ranked and previously undefeated Fishers.
“It’s a special group, all the way from the JV players to the varsity team,” Kingston Rhodes said. “Everybody just connects well. Everybody plays great together. It’s a special team. The energy’s never low. It’s just a bunch of good guys. I’m going to miss these guys, for sure.
“It was weird, definitely weird, having to sit out games and having to sit out practices, not even getting dressed, just coming in and watching. It was a weird experience. I’m just glad I’m back.”
