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ASU center faces familiar road
By Josh Moon
Montgomery Advertiser
Alvin Pettway knew what was wrong the moment it happened.
It was the same sickening pop, the same excruciating pain.
All of it, exactly the same as it was four years ago when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
This time it was the center's right knee.
"I knew. In the back of my mind I knew what had happened," Pettway said. "I didn't want to believe it, but I knew the minute it happened."
With five seconds remaining in the first half of Alabama State's game at Arkansas-Pine Bluff two Saturday's ago, Pettway went up for a rebound against a Pine Bluff guard. As he was coming down, he made contact with the other player, knocking him off balance. Just as Pettway landed on his right foot, the guard came crashing into his right leg.
His knee bent inward and Pettway heard the familiar pop.
"It might have been a different knee and different circumstances, but it was the same pop," Pettway said. "It's so painful. You never forget it. I knew what had happened."
Now, a couple of days removed from surgery, his career at ASU over. Pettway faces a long and painful rehabilitation.
"It takes a long time to get this thing healed," Pettway said. "It's long and it's painful. I'll probably be going at it for four or five months."
At least this time he wasn't going into the process blind, according to Pettway.
"I've been down this road before," he said. "It makes it a little easier to know what to expect. I know what I have to do this time and it helps."
The first time Pettway suffered an ACL tear was before his freshman year at ASU. He sat out that season on a medical redshirt and came back strong the next year. This time, however, his eligibility at ASU will be up by the time he gets healthy, and Pettway isn't sure what he's going to do.
"I'll probably just try to get into some NBA camps in July," he said. "I'll work hard until then and give it a shot. Coach told me some scouts have called asking about me and have been looking at me, so maybe there's a chance. If not, I'd like to try coaching I think. I just know that I can't leave this game."
With Pettway in the lineup, ASU looked like a lock to win the SWAC.
Without him, things aren't so clear.
"It's impossible to replace a player like Alvin," said ASU head coach Rob Spivery. "Not only his play, but his leadership was so important to us. He was our rock. We were really going along well. I was almost certain we were going to win the conference."
The only chance for ASU now is for backup centers Derrick Russell and Michael Green to step into Pettway's spot and fill in.
"Both of those guys have really played like we needed them to since Pettway's injury," said Spivery. "They'll have to continue that for us to be successful."
Pettway doesn't doubt that they will.
"I played against those two guys in practice," he said. "Most days it was just the three of us off to the side working on our games. I know what they can do. They can fill the hole. I don't have any doubts about their ability."
And Pettway said he'll be right there to help out.
"Whatever I can do to make this team better, I will," he said. "I have no doubt that this team can still win the conference title. There's a lot of talent here. They just have to play like they're capable of playing."
So in the past weeks, he's gotten a head start on his coaching career.
"I've been trying to help my teammates out during the last couple of games," he said. "I can't get out there and physically help them, but I can share some insight with them. I can help them out by sharing what I've learned about the game over the past five years here. Hopefully, I'm helping a little."
And that's where Pettway begins to separate himself from a lot of players.
In the preseason, he was voted an All-Southwestern Athletic Conference player for the second straight year. On top of that, the Hornets were picked as one of the favorites to win the conference and make another appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Most would feel robbed of what looked to be a promising finish to a great career -- not Pettway.
"I'm not bitter about anything that's happened," said Pettway. "I guess maybe I was cheated a little, but I'm also taking a lot from (ASU) when I leave. I've had a lot of good times here. The people have always been great to me. It's the least I can do to try and help out my teammates. It hurts me that I can't physically help my teammates, but I just have to do what I can with what I've got."
To add insult to injury, Pettway was forced to sit through a come-from-behind win by the Hornets -- the second game after his injury -- over rival Alabama AM.
Pettway sat at the end of the bench with a smile on his face.
"It was tough to watch and not be able to get out there," he admitted. "But what can I do about it. This is the situation I'm in. I just have to make the best of it."
By Josh Moon
Montgomery Advertiser
Alvin Pettway knew what was wrong the moment it happened.
It was the same sickening pop, the same excruciating pain.
All of it, exactly the same as it was four years ago when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
This time it was the center's right knee.
"I knew. In the back of my mind I knew what had happened," Pettway said. "I didn't want to believe it, but I knew the minute it happened."
With five seconds remaining in the first half of Alabama State's game at Arkansas-Pine Bluff two Saturday's ago, Pettway went up for a rebound against a Pine Bluff guard. As he was coming down, he made contact with the other player, knocking him off balance. Just as Pettway landed on his right foot, the guard came crashing into his right leg.
His knee bent inward and Pettway heard the familiar pop.
"It might have been a different knee and different circumstances, but it was the same pop," Pettway said. "It's so painful. You never forget it. I knew what had happened."
Now, a couple of days removed from surgery, his career at ASU over. Pettway faces a long and painful rehabilitation.
"It takes a long time to get this thing healed," Pettway said. "It's long and it's painful. I'll probably be going at it for four or five months."
At least this time he wasn't going into the process blind, according to Pettway.
"I've been down this road before," he said. "It makes it a little easier to know what to expect. I know what I have to do this time and it helps."
The first time Pettway suffered an ACL tear was before his freshman year at ASU. He sat out that season on a medical redshirt and came back strong the next year. This time, however, his eligibility at ASU will be up by the time he gets healthy, and Pettway isn't sure what he's going to do.
"I'll probably just try to get into some NBA camps in July," he said. "I'll work hard until then and give it a shot. Coach told me some scouts have called asking about me and have been looking at me, so maybe there's a chance. If not, I'd like to try coaching I think. I just know that I can't leave this game."
With Pettway in the lineup, ASU looked like a lock to win the SWAC.
Without him, things aren't so clear.
"It's impossible to replace a player like Alvin," said ASU head coach Rob Spivery. "Not only his play, but his leadership was so important to us. He was our rock. We were really going along well. I was almost certain we were going to win the conference."
The only chance for ASU now is for backup centers Derrick Russell and Michael Green to step into Pettway's spot and fill in.
"Both of those guys have really played like we needed them to since Pettway's injury," said Spivery. "They'll have to continue that for us to be successful."
Pettway doesn't doubt that they will.
"I played against those two guys in practice," he said. "Most days it was just the three of us off to the side working on our games. I know what they can do. They can fill the hole. I don't have any doubts about their ability."
And Pettway said he'll be right there to help out.
"Whatever I can do to make this team better, I will," he said. "I have no doubt that this team can still win the conference title. There's a lot of talent here. They just have to play like they're capable of playing."
So in the past weeks, he's gotten a head start on his coaching career.
"I've been trying to help my teammates out during the last couple of games," he said. "I can't get out there and physically help them, but I can share some insight with them. I can help them out by sharing what I've learned about the game over the past five years here. Hopefully, I'm helping a little."
And that's where Pettway begins to separate himself from a lot of players.
In the preseason, he was voted an All-Southwestern Athletic Conference player for the second straight year. On top of that, the Hornets were picked as one of the favorites to win the conference and make another appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Most would feel robbed of what looked to be a promising finish to a great career -- not Pettway.
"I'm not bitter about anything that's happened," said Pettway. "I guess maybe I was cheated a little, but I'm also taking a lot from (ASU) when I leave. I've had a lot of good times here. The people have always been great to me. It's the least I can do to try and help out my teammates. It hurts me that I can't physically help my teammates, but I just have to do what I can with what I've got."
To add insult to injury, Pettway was forced to sit through a come-from-behind win by the Hornets -- the second game after his injury -- over rival Alabama AM.
Pettway sat at the end of the bench with a smile on his face.
"It was tough to watch and not be able to get out there," he admitted. "But what can I do about it. This is the situation I'm in. I just have to make the best of it."
