If you watched Temples NCAA tournament games last year, you probably saw a big tall guy in a suit sitting on the Owls bench.
Looking helpless.
I just tried to stay positive as much as I could, Micheal Eric said. It was really frustrating, but what can you do? You can only control what you can control.
Eric couldnt control a fractured right patella tendon that wiped out the second half of his 2011 season, and he couldnt control another fracture in the same tendon in his right knee that wiped out the first half of his 2012 season.
He could control everything else. The ferocious way he rehabbed to get back as soon as possible. The undying support he gave his teammates while he was sidelined. The ever-positive attitude that rubs off on the rest of the team.
He handled it way better than I would have, Temple coach Fran Dunphy said. If Id have been a young guy and have this small window of opportunity and then this window is taken away prematurely? Its not an easy thing to handle. But hes handled it well, and Im crossing my fingers that the end of his career is No. 1 healthy and No. 2 successful.
Eric is a 6-foot-11, 240-pounder from Lagos, Nigeria, via the Church Farm School in Exton. He graduated last spring with a degree in advertising and is now finishing up his eligibility while working toward his masters in adult and organizational development
Even though injuries have stripped him of 23 of Temples last 41 games, theres not a trace of bitterness or why-me in Erics personality.
Im just a lucky guy, he said before Temples practice Monday at McGonigle Hall. Im blessed and I count my blessings every day.
Im just lucky and thankful every day, and every day I come in the gym I take it personal that some people dont even get a chance to play basketball, and Im just thankful for the opportunity I got to play college basketball, even with the injuries and stuff.
Eric is Temples only experienced big man, and hes a guy who over his four years in North Philly has worked diligently to improve.
He averaged 2.7 points and 2.1 rebounds as a freshman. Then 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds as a sophomore. He was really starting to make an impact last year, with 7.1 points and 5.9 rebounds, when he got hurt and missed Temples last 10 games.
This year? He blossomed. Four games into the season, he was averaging 10.5 points and 11.8 boards when his knee gave out again.
Just stay positive, Eric said. My parents, my teammates, my coach, the trainers, they kept me positive and told me once this injurys over, you have to get back to work and get back to where you were (before the injury), and those positives thoughts helped me throughout this process.
Eric returned in late January and gradually worked his way back into Dunphys rotation. In his first six games back, he averaged 5.3 points and 4.2 boards in about 16 minutes. In the last eight, hes really looked like his old self, with 11.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
Overall, Eric is averaging 8.8 rebounds per game, second-best in the Atlantic 10 behind Fordhams Chris Gaston (although Eric hasnt played in enough games to qualify for the rankings)
On Friday night in Nashville, Eric will look for his first career NCAA win when Temple plays the winner of the Wednesday play-in game in Dayton between South Florida and Cal.
In his only career NCAA game, Eric played 15 foul-plagued minutes (six points, one rebound, three fouls) in Temples 2010 loss to Cornell in Jacksonville. Eric didnt play as a freshman when Temple lost to Arizona State in Miami.
Im pretty excited, because this time last year I was really down, Eric said. I was really down mentally and psychologically. I was just trying to be the best teammate I could be for my teammates, but personally, I was really down, because I knew how much they needed me in the tournament last year. So hopefully I can be a presence for them this year.
Dunphy said he believes Eric is finally 100 percent and not even thinking about the knee.
It takes you a while, especially bigger guys, he said. It takes longer than us short guys. Its just so much body youve got to move around the court. Hes done a good job with it. Im impressed with him.
I think when you first get back from what he had, theres an element of fear, and youve got to get over the fear, and the only way to get over the fear is do the things you did when you got hurt. Getting-back-on-the-horse issue, and hes done that and I think hes over that now, and hes pushing himself as hard as he can.
Not so fast, Eric says with a smile.
Hes torn the same tendon twice, and he says hed be lying if he said it wasnt on his mind that it might happen again.
The fear?
Its still there, he said. Its always going to be there. Its just that fear of doing the same thing over again.
I cracked it last year around this time and I cracked it earlier this season, so it happened twice. That fear is always going to be there. but staying positive while Im on the court is whats going to make me overcome that hump.
Im lucky enough to have such great guys as teammates and coaches. Once I make a little mistake due to the lack of explosiveness, they tell me to keep your composure, keep doing it, were going to keep feeding you the ball.
I just want to be the best teammate I can be for these guys, because they really need an inside presence, and I know with my body and size and my experience of being on this team for so long, I can be that inside presence.
If I go for 20 points any night, Ill count my blessings, but Im just going to play my role as part of the team and get my job done.
This is end of the road for Temple seniors Ramone Moore, Juan Fernandez and Eric. As talented as this senior class is, Temple has won only one NCAA tournament game since they arrived at Broad and Montgomery.
Eric said he and his teammates are desperate to change that.
And Moore said the Owls are just happy to finally have Eric as part of a postseason run.
Its been really tough (on Eric),, Moore said. Im not sure how many games he missed within the last two years, but Im sure Mike is excited to get back and be with us.
Weve all been there for him and told Mike to try and keep your head up. Its just ... two injuries he couldnt handle, but he is the key to us going far in this tournament, and Im just glad to have him back.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com
