TWIN FALLS — Brayli Jenks chuckles at the thought of her circumstances.
Events out of her control put Jenks in this position.
A fourth-year guard at a two-year school. Unprecedented in junior college and a status not possible without a COVID year.
That darn injury. She tore her left ACL and meniscus on a routine layup during the 2022-23 preseason.
“Immediately, my whole left leg went numb,” Jenks told the Times-News. “I knew something big was wrong but I hoped that it was not an ACL tear because no athlete wants to hear that they tore their ACL.”
She contemplated leaving.
But no, Jenks, wanted to return. A medical redshirt last season created the possibility.
She remained loyal to a school that reciprocated, re-gained a starting spot and nears conference play with a fresh perspective on the No. 17 Lady Golden Eagles. A chance at a fifth straight win, too, when CSI (13-3) visits Laramie County Community College (Wyoming) at 1 p.m. Saturday.
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“I really love the culture here,” Jenks said. “Everything is family-oriented. I just love it. I love playing for coach Rogers. I love our assistants. I have family in Burley so I would love to stay as close to them as possible, obviously.”
CSI coach Randy Rogers said Jenks decided to return late in the summer. She had lined up an assistant student coaching gig at Utah Valley but scrapped those plans for another shot with CSI.
Nov. 25 marked Jenks’ first start since March 18, 2022, and she delivered with six points, two steals, four rebounds and three assists. Oh, and lengthy black compression legging on her left leg.
“I didn’t want a big, huge ACL contraption,” she said.
Welcome back, Jenks.
“That is kinda the Brayli we had three or four years ago,” Rogers told the Times-News. “Put someone that positive out on the floor and a lot of good things happen. I thought she took a step forward tonight in that.”
Jenks provided CSI with a consistent locker room presence without playing a minute last season. She applied a lifetime of basketball knowledge from her mother, Ainsli, who coached her at Ridgeline High School in Utah.
Jenks served as an assistant coach of sorts during the Lady Golden Eagles’ 2022-23 season, which culminated with a Final Four appearance. She spent six weeks on crutches and was cleared to fully bend her knee in January.
Doctors fully cleared her in September.
The injury and the limited activities hit Jenks mentally. She said Rogers met with her a few times last year and checked-in. She said he asked if she was OK or if she needed to go home.
“She checked out,” Rogers said. “She had a hard time with that injury and stuff. Did a poor job in the classroom and she would be the first one to admit that.”
That year of observation equipped Jenks with a fresh perspective on defensive positioning and the traits of becoming successful.
But the same ol’ Jenks appeared in November. A 3-point sharpshooter who Rogers called “a floor general.”
Jenks’ 42% from 3-point range leads CSI among those with more than 15 attempts. She made at least one in each of her four starts.
“Now she is going to really help us, especially when we get into conference play,” Rogers said.
Jenks will continue to shoot on a team where defense remains a strength. She will coach her teammates from this court this year.
Healthy. Finally.
“Just being able to get back out there and know that everybody in the CSI family has faith,” Jenks said. “Whether I play a lot, whether I don’t play, it is just good to know that people have my back.”