38 This year has marked a very difficult season for the Pilot men’s basketball team. Not only do they currently find themselves with an eight game losing streak and an overall record under .500, but they have experienced a number of devastating injuries. Some of these injuries have been season ending; nevertheless, they have all played a significant role in their approach throughout the second half of the season. One of the earliest and toughest injuries this season has been Jordan Bowerman, who tore his ACL against IUSB early in the season. The other season ending loss on the season was Cody Cochran, who experienced a bone chip in his foot. The loss of these two players was very significant as they had both been at the top of their games at the time they became hurt. In addition, these players were a great contribution to the depth of the Pilot lineup. The Pilots also experienced a devastating loss this last Tuesday when Joe Welch experienced a season ending injury. This is one of the toughest losses for Bethel, as Joe has been a dominant presence down low and a vocal leader all season long. Recently, the Pilots experienced injuries from three of their starters. Caleb Laideg, who has been a strong senior leader and point scorer for Bethel this season, found that he had a stress fracture in his foot. Laideg has been protecting his foot by not practicing but fighting through the pain on game days. Kyle Ritz has also had continuous pain in his knee, which has limited his playing time in the last couple of games. Lastly, Ryan Benner has had knee troubles, which could potentially force surgery after the season. Benner is currently listed as day-to-day for the Pilots. Although these three injuries have been hard on these three Pilot starters, they have shown their heart by battling against every opponent and playing as long as they can. This has been frustrating for a team like Bethel to handle, with a strong tradition of excellent post-season tournament performances. Nevertheless, they have shown throughout the season that their depth and talented freshmen could give them endless potential over the next several years.
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