Tuesday, March 31, 1998

Stephens' knee injury identified as ACL tear

It was confirmed yesterday that Penn State men's basketball player Jarrett Stephens suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in last Tuesday's game against Georgia.

Jarrett Stephens
tore anterior cruciate ligament in left knee

The junior forward was finishing a fast break when he was fouled from behind by Georgia's Larry Brown. Brown was called for an intentional foul and Stephens was helped from the Madison Square Garden floor.
The doctors initially called it a sprain of the ACL in his left knee but after returning to State College they administered X-rays and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test. The results showed it was torn.

It is unknown when Stephens will be able to play again. Usually, it takes nine months after the time of surgery for the player to recover. No surgery date has been scheduled, yet, but Stephens is optimistic he'll be healthy for next year.

"I'm going to work hard over the summer and do a lot of praying," he said after Thursday's Penn State loss to Minnesota.

-- by Brian Costello