This wasn’t the way Markese Jacobs envisioned his high school career ending. The Uplift senior partially tore the ACL in his right knee last week and will be sidelined for six to eight months.
Jacobs was injured in a workout on Saturday.
“I felt a little pop when I landed,” Jacobs said. “I did the splits and landed funny. Normally when I fall I just bounce back up. But it wasn’t feeling the same this time and after a half hour it started swelling.”
A few hours later Jacobs went to the hospital.
“[The hospital] told me it was just sprained,” Jacobs said. “But the hospital just wants to rush and get you out. A few days later I went and had someone else check it out. After talking to some people and telling them about the pop they said I should do that. I did and they said it was a partial tear.”
Jacobs was a top contender for Player of the Year honors and had plans to lead the Titans on deep runs in the city and state tournaments. He was having an excellent senior year. He scored 46 points to nearly lead Uplift to an upset of Young earlier this month and dominated late in an upset of Lincoln Park in December.
Jacobs will have surgery next week.
“The first two days it really got to me and I was really down,” Jacobs said. “Now after talking to people who have been through it I understand you can’t control everything. It will be a process and I can get back.”
Jacobs, a DePaul recruit, spoke with Blue Demons coach Dave Leitao on Thursday.
“Coach told me that even though I’m still in high school I’m a Blue Demon now,” Jacobs said.
