EVERETT — Brett Kingma’s once-promising sophomore basketball season is over.
Kingma, a high-scoring guard on the Jackson High School boys team, suffered a fracture of the radius bone in his left forearm Tuesday during Jackson’s game against Lynnwood.
Through last week Kingma was averaging about 23 points per game, best in the Western Conference South Division. He has received scholarship offers from four NCAA Division I college basketball programs, including Gonzaga University.
“He’s just very disappointed. They had very high goals for Jackson basketball this season and Brett’s just disappointed that he can’t be a part of that,” said Kingma’s dad, Gregg Kingma, on Wednesday.
“The kids will respond,” Jackson head coach Steve Johnson said, “but it obviously changes dramatically what we’re all about and what our team is like.”
Jackson beat Lynnwood 46-41 Tuesday, improving its record to 3-1 in league, 5-2 overall. Brett Kingma was injured late in the first quarter. He made a steal, dribbled down the court for a layin and was fouled by a Lynnwood player.
Kingma scored the basket and used his left arm to brace himself as he fell to the floor. The impact snapped a bone.
“It’s fortunately his left (non-shooting) arm, which is good,” Gregg Kingma said. “It’s just going to take a while to heal so he’s out for the season.”
Brett Kingma will have surgery soon and will be sidelined up to three months, his dad said. The fracture is in the middle of the bone — not near the elbow or wrist.
“Certainly his prognosis is that he’s going to be 100 percent,” Gregg Kingma said, “and that he’s going to support (Jackson) the best he can.”
Coach Johnson said several players, including guard Brandon Rucker, wing Tyler Cody and wing Mason Gilchrist, must help fill the void: “Everybody’s going to have to pitch in and spread the scoring out.”
It’s been a painful week for the Kingma family. Kristi Kingma, Brett’s sister who plays basketball for the University of Washington women’s team, suffered an ankle injury in a game Saturday and could miss up to three weeks.
“We’re kind of hoping that the injuries are behind us,” Gregg Kingma said. “We’ve got a couple other kids, and I think we’re going to put them in bubbles.”
Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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