To his teammates, Gibbs High School junior David Pierce is the model of overcoming adversity. Last January as a sophomore, Pierce suffered a torn ACL, an injury that could have stopped his basketball dreams, in its tracks.
Pierce remembers that night like it was yesterday.
“As soon as it happened, I was just, I was shocked more than anything, but I was just ready to go ahead and get surgery and start rehabbing to get back on the court”
His coach Larry Murphy knows a little something about torn ACLs. Murphy suffered one in college and it ended his dream of playing professionally, and admires what Pierce has had to do to come all the way back.
“Hard work and determination and you can overcome anything and I think that’s what he learned most from that injury. If I am determined to get back and work on my game, than anything is possible”
And Pierce didn’t only come back tougher, he came back better. His 24 points per game leads his team in scoring and puts him among the top two scorers in Pinellas County.
“I still don’t feel 100%, but I feel I am getting there. I feel about 90%. I feel ok, I’m doing better, but yeah I’m good, feel like I’m alright.
Gladiator may be the perfect mascot for this junior, who fought thru 5:00 am workouts everyday with his father David to get back on track and continue his basketball dream.
"Whatever happens, I’m proud of him, I’m happy for him, you know I think he’s going to go on and have a successful basketball career and he’s tough, real tough.”
Pierce has flown under the recruiting radar because of the injury that he suffered as a sophomore, but after a season like the one he is putting together in 2016-17, he won't stay there very long.