Nicholls’ Czepil returns to court after long road of surgery, rehab

During his freshman year in 2005, Mike Czepil impressed Nicholls head basketball coach J.P. Piper enough to earn the starting gig for 26 of the Colonels’ 27 games.

In that time, he averaged seven points a game and played an average of 29 minutes per game, solidifying his future as a starter for the Colonels.

So when he played only 11 minutes coming off the bench against Dillard Dec. 15, the junior couldn’t be happy right?

Actually, to Czepil, 11 minutes never felt so good.

Over the last year, things have not been easy on the Williamstown, Australia native. He’s had to go through surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a common injury in sports. He was forced to watch his team from the sidelines over the last year and a half as he rehabbed.

That came just a year after going through the same surgery on the same knee.

The 11 minutes Czepil played were his first of the season. For him, they were a chance to continue his basketball career, which seemed like nothing more than a dream a year ago.

Leading Dillard by 22 with 2:09 to play in the first half, Piper decided to let Czepil test out the mended knee.

“Coach and I spoke about it before that game and I had an idea that it would come for that game,” he said. “We both agreed that I felt good enough after a few days of practice and rehab to get back in the game.”

Before night’s end, Czepil had played 11 minutes and finished the night with four points.

In fact, one play from that night best describes his value to the team, according to Piper. Czepil made a play in the paint and ended up falling on his back, sliding towards the sideline. He got up and scrambled down the floor.

“He was the last down the floor and contested the shot on the other end. Our guys got confused in transition because they are four guys back but Mike is the one who challenged the shot,” he said. “Josh Johnson ended up blocking it up high. Mike was the one who got to the guy before he got the ball up.”

Czepil can only hope it’s the beginning of a new injury-free career.

Because of the injury, Czepil lost a year of eligibility. After starting in 26 games his freshman year, Czepil was set to return to an even brighter future for his sophomore season. However, in the offseason he tore his ACL for the first time and received a medical redshirt.

When he returned for his redshirt sophomore season last year, he started the Colonels’ first 13 games, averaging 11.6 points per game and shooting 48 percent from field goal range.

On Dec. 28, 2007 the Colonels played the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in Las Vegas as part of the Duel in the Desert Tournament. Czepil made a sudden, sharp move and then hit the floor.

It had happened again. He’d once again have to suffer the pain of surgery and then rehab.

That’s what made his brief return to the floor so special. While some athletes could have called it a career, Czepil refused and vowed to return to the court.

“It was rough having to sit out and watch from the bench over the last year,” he said. “It was time for me to get back out there. Now that I’m able to play, it’s a matter of getting myself back to where I was before the injury and hopefully help this team continue to win games.”

“He still doesn’t look like his old self. He’s a step slower right now, but he’ll play himself back into shape,” the coach explained.

Unfortunately for Czepil, the 11 minutes he played in that one game were his only of the season. He did not see action in the following games against LSU and Mississippi State, and Piper said he wouldn’t see significant playing time until the knee is 100 percent.

With conference play beginning in January, Czepil hopes to be back at full steam this season carrying over into next season. If he can do that, Piper said the Colonels have an even better chance to remain competitive.

“It’s that toughness and tenacity and refusal to give anything anywhere and to fight, scratch and claw for everything,” Piper noted. “Having him back in practice and getting those kinds of minutes from him in the game are going to be valuable to us.”