SACRAMENTO –
When a college-bound athlete gets injured ahead of their senior year, you can’t knock them for slowing down to take a beat and prepare for the next level over the coming months.
For Kylan Boswell, doing the opposite is paying dividends for him. The Arizona guard suffered a broken foot ahead of his senior year of high school. While he was disappointed to miss out on a lot of accolades and memories from his final high school season, he opted to reclassify and get to Tucson early. His family felt the medical care and physical therapy he would receive in Tucson would benefit Kylan more than staying home.
Head coach Tommy Lloyd supported the decision, but didn’t make any promises on the court.
“That’s great. I don’t know how much you’re going to play,” Lloyd recalled.
The ‘Cats took the slow and steady approach with Boswell, and the 17-year-old freshman worked his way into the rotation and really didn’t see steady minutes until conference play. He’s brought a defensive intensity and is starting to hit his stride offensively, ending the regular season with back-to-back 14 point games against the L.A. schools.
“Kylan has had a tremendous freshman year that’s building the foundation for a special career.”
Now, he’s learning from vets like Kerr Kriisa and Courtney Ramey – his best friend on the team – as he preps for his first NCAA tournament.
The course Boswell chose was one that required patience, but the other option meant risking a longer sabatical from the hardwood.
“If I didn’t have the type of trainers and doctors that I have (in Tucson), I don’t think I’d be playing right now, not going to lie.”
The NCAA tournament is a sink or swim moment for first-time players, but Boswell has been doing cannonballs into the deep-end since getting to Tucson this fall.
Don’t expect the moment to big too for him and cause a belly-flop.
