Modesto Christian point guard Pearson fractures foot, out for season

Add Michael Pearson Jr.’s name to the list of season-ending injuries suffered by the Modesto Christian High boys basketball team.

On Friday morning, coach Brice Fantazia said the freshman point guard will miss the final 10 games of the regular season and postseason with a fractured foot.

Pearson suffered the injury during a defensive drill in practice Thursday. He landed awkwardly on a teammate’s foot, and almost immediately, Fantazia could tell it was more than a sprain.

“He did a great job of being where he needed to be,” Fantazia said, “and then he stepped on somebody’s foot. I could tell it was pretty serious. He started yelling immediately.

“This is unbelievable.”

Fantazia said Pearson iced the injury overnight and then visited a physician Friday morning, who discovered a hairline fracture across the top of Pearson’s foot. Recovery time is three to four weeks, Fantazia said, but Modesto Christian won’t press the 15-year-old back into action this season.

Pearson is widely considered one of the top freshman point guards in Northern California and his college recruitment will depend on his development over the next few years. Fantazia doesn’t want to slow his growth, or turn a bad injury into a debilitating one, by rushing him back onto floor.

“With him only being 15, I’m not going to risk a hairline fracture,” Fantazia said. “It’s not like we’ll win a state championship this year with all these injuries.

“He’s upset and super sad, and I’m extremely disappointed for him,” Fantazia added. “He’ll have a big AAU season and his recruitment will pick up. He’ll be all right, but with him being 15, he’s not thinking about the future.”

Pearson started all 15 games he appeared in, establishing himself as Modesto Christian’s chief ball-handler and one of its top 3-point shooters. He averaged 9.4 points and 2.2 assists, tied with senior Darrian Grays for the team lead.

His production spiked in the new calendar year. Pearson averaged 11.4 points during seven games in January and reset his personal best three times en route to The Bee’s Athlete of the Week award Thursday.

Pearson had 18 points in a victory over Clovis North on Jan. 9. Two days later, he dropped 20 in a pivotal road win at Modesto High. On Wednesday, he had a career-high 22 points and six assists in an 88-62 victory over Enochs.

His role and responsibility will likely be shared by fellow freshman Baljot Sahi and junior Kwaheri Rue, a transfer from Patterson. Neither one of is a true point guard, though.

“We’ll have to make some adjustments,” Fantazia said. “Some of the stuff he does, with being so explosive and fast, you can’t replicate that. He shoots 40 percent from 3, as well. Even though he’s a freshman, there’s no getting around that.

“Our guys will have to rally around him and pick up the slack. He’s not an ordinary freshman. I really think he’s the best or one of the top-two freshman guards in Northern California.”

The Crusaders have been besieged with season-ending injuries in Fantazia’s first season on the bench. Forward Aaron Murphy broke a kneecap during a scrimmage at Ripon High, while Issima Caldwell suffered a broken hand.

The Crusaders’ top prospect, sophomore Dathan Satchell, is academically ineligible.

“You can’t play the what-if game,” Fantazia said. “But if we had all four of those guys, I really do think we could compete with anyone in California. It’s just crazy.”

Modesto Christian hosted Downey on Friday, a final tune-up for its highly anticipated showdown at Beyer on Monday.

This story was originally published January 20, 2017 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Modesto Christian point guard Pearson fractures foot, out for season."