Cate Reese hasnβt watched the play when she dislocated her right shoulder.
She probably never will.
Reese remembers what happened after quite vividly. It was pain like nothing she had ever felt before.
βI donβt even know how it even happened. I just remember right after I felt pain β¦ I looked down I didnβt know what I was looking at. I was so confused,β Reese told the Star on Monday.
βI feel like I just blacked out for a second because the pain was so bad. They couldnβt put it back in place on the court. I donβt know if youβve ever been to Washington State, but I had to walk up this long incline just to go to a training room. And even then, they couldnβt really put it back in place. It took a couple minutes.
βThat was pretty traumatizing for me. It was a scary moment.β
The injury required offseason surgery. Nearly a month ago, doctors repaired Reeseβs significantly torn labrum and some torn tendons near her armpit. She has two incisions β one, on the front of her shoulder, is 3 to 4 inches long.
Now Reese is on the road to recovery β and excited to play her final senior year as a Wildcat.
Reese is working to get her mobility back. For now, she has to be careful with certain movements going towards her body.
During the week, Reese rehabs with UA womenβs basketball trainer Jessie Johnson and a physical therapist from the football team. On the weekends, Reese does Johnsonβs exercises from home.
However as with any rehab, it hasnβt been β and wonβt be β a straight line. βThree steps forward, one step back,β Reese said. Reese expects to be back in the gym with her teammates by the end of the summer.
Arizona forward Cate Reese and North Carolina guard Deja Kelly battle for a loose ball during their NCAA Tournament game last month. Reese played the tournament games with a brace on her shoulder, which has since been surgically repaired.
When she gets frustrated, Reese leans on two people for encouragement β Johnson and UA coach Adia Barnes.
Barnes has endured a major injury of her own. Barnes tore her ACL just coming off a season where she had earned a spot as a starter for the WNBAβs Seattle Storm.
βWe had the same kind of feelings when we were injured,β Reese said. βBeing able to talk to her is nice. Looking at the positives of everything and just trying to push through and be ready for those (NCAA) games and then be ready for next season.β
Johnson, the trainer, βhelps me a lot just to see the positive side or if Iβm having a hard day, making me laugh.β
βSheβs been there every day for me,β Reese said. βI think sheβs super positive about my rehab and being able to play well. Sheβs always been on my side.β
It didnβt take long for Reese to start rehab. She had a surgery on a Thursday; four days later, she was stretching her shoulder to avoid it getting stiff.
βTheyβre really worried about frozen shoulder, which is really big like getting your range of motion back is super important,β Reese said. ββ¦They were stretching it and that was incredibly, incredibly painful but itβs getting better each week so itβs not hurting as badly. β¦ Itβs definitely not my most favorite activity.β
Reese has already seen improvement in a short time, but her inability to do some everyday things can be frustrating. Reese couldnβt take a shower or dress on her own following surgery; she relief on her mother, Cheryl, and sister Ali for help.
βThankfully I have two arms, so I can do a lot with my left,β Reese said with a laugh. βBut itβs weird. Iβm so right-hand dominant that itβs annoying having to do stuff with my left hand, but Iβm getting better at being able to brush my hair. I couldnβt brush my teeth or put in my contacts. Reaching on my back to scratch certain parts. I canβt put my arm on my back and go up that high. So thatβs difficult. Sometimes, putting on socks is kind of weird. I can do a lot of stuff but then there are also things that hurt when I do it just because of my arm isnβt fully healed yet.
βIt gets better every day, and I definitely can tell differences.β
The one big thing she canβt wait to do: put her hair up in a ponytail.
Cate Reese missed a month after dislocating her right shoulder during a game at Washington State.
Reese was in the midst of her best season as a Wildcat at the time of her injury. She was on a roll during league play, averaging 17 points per game; she finished the year with 19 double-doubles. Reese was named to the All-Pac-12 team and was named an honorable mention All-American.
Even now, Reese gets emotional when she talks about what could have been.
βI was happy, but frustrated. I felt like I was the most consistent Iβve ever been and then the injury happened,β Reese said, tearing up.
Rather than have her injury define her season, Reese rehabbed her shoulder with hopes of playing β albeit with a brace β in the NCAA Tournament.
The decision wasnβt made lightly. And while Reese was a worried that could further injure her shoulder, she was determined to get back out there.
βI mean thatβs just who I am β¦ I wanted to help my team in any way I could,β Reese said.
Reese was fearless in the Wildcatsβ NCAA Tournament opener against UNLV, scoring 16 points in 20 minutes while grabbng a steal and three rebounds. She also held her opponent, Khayla Rooks, to five points.
Reese played 30 minutes in the Wildcatsβ second-round tournament game, played two nights later. She scored six points on 3-of-9 shooting and grabbed three rebounds.
Reese was sore after, but said she wouldnβt trade the chance to play in those final two games for anything.
Itβs what drives her rehab, too. Reese wants to win next season while building a solid foundation for those who follow.
She also has more to prove.
βSince I was a little kid, going pro is something Iβve always wanted to do,β Reese said. βThatβs one thing that has also kept me going. This upcoming season is extremely important for me in deciding where I go or what Iβll do. I think having a season like I had this past year is extremely important to me and just being able to end my college career on a good note. I think that is something thatβs huge for me β just (in) ending my chapter at Arizona. I want to be in the best condition, the best shape, the best my shoulder has felt so I can be ready to go out there and help the team and hopefully get back to the NCAA Tournament, get back to the Final Four for my last year.β
Reese will graduate next month with a degree in business; this fall, sheβll being working on a masterβs degree in marketing.
Reese said the injury gave her a new perspective.
βNot taking sports or basketball for granted and just always trying to be as healthy as you can be,β Reese said.
