John Carroll's Halle Landies of Chardon back on court -- after four years, three surgeries

Jan. 5—On Dec. 30, Halle Landies stood at the free-throw line with 1 second to play.

The John Carroll women's basketball team was tied at 60-60 with Maine Maritime in Naples, Fla. The Chardon graduate made both to key a 62-60 win in which she scored a career-high 23 points, including a basket late in the game plus the free throws with 1 second on the clock.

"She's our shooter," said JCU coach Beth Andrews.

Landies — some might argue — is also a case study in perseverance.

It was a long, grueling road to get to that moment on the free-throw line with the game in the balance. That's because the talented player who earned a Division II scholarship to national power Ashland early in her high school career did not have much luck in the latter half of her Chardon career.

.@HLandies of @JCU_WBB on coming back from 2 ACL injuries, 3 surgeries and back as a major contributor after 4 years and her big moment securing a win in Florida for Blue Streaks. @NHPreps @jcusports @toppernation pic.twitter.com/DBFoYvH4Ab

— Mark Podolski (@mpodo) January 6, 2023

As a junior, Landies suffered an ACL injury and needed surgery on her left knee. It sidelined her for eight months. When she returned to play for her senior season, Landies again suffered an ACL injury — to the same left knee.

Halle Landies drives past a defender during John Carroll's win over Mount Union Dec. 7. (Tim Phillis ??

Ashland honored her scholarship and Landies returned to play in a handful of games her freshman year in college, but following that season entered the transfer portal. With a long family lineage at John Carroll, Landies contacted Andrews about a possible transfer to a school close to home.

When she decided on JCU, it's safe to say her family was excited. Among the grads in her family include Landies' great grandfather Robert Woodside Landies — a 1949 grad — and her great, great uncle Sigmund Holowekno, a 1969 JCU graduate.

With her future secured, Landies' first year was mostly a transition one while learning from and watching a senior-laden Blue Streaks team complete a 25-3 season a year ago.

Enter the 2022-23 season, which meant more would be asked of Landies and the rest of her teammates. It came with a catch — Landies had not played much basketball the last four seasons.

"I think she's figuring it out," said Andrews. "The basketball IQ is starting to come back. She just plays with a confidence because that's what she is."

So far, so good through 12 games. JCU is 8-4, and on a three-game winning streak following a dominant win at Heidelberg on Jan. 4. Landies is second on the team in scoring at 9.8 points per game. She's also started the last three games.

Most importantly, she's finally feeling like herself again on the basketball court. That after four years of testing and pushing herself with the goal a return to the court.

"It never crossed my mind I'm quitting basketball," said Landies. "I was never going to stop. I knew I needed to stay mentally tough, and that's the hardest part. Playing college basketball has always been my dream and nothing was going to stop me."

The first ACL surgery as a high school junior had Landies out eight months, the second 10 months. Then in her one year at Ashland, a cleanup procedure was needed and that took another three months of recovery time. Those surgeries meant nearly two full years of recovery.

During that time, the only basketball-related thing she could do was shoot set-shots. Over and over and over again.

"I probably took 500 shots a day," said Landies, who worked with basketball trainer Shane Kline-Ruminski at the Mentor Heisley Racquet Club.

It took time, but with her shooting form greatly improved, Landies has became a threat from the outside for the Blue Steaks — a far cry from her early playing days.

"My coach at Chardon literally said, 'Halle, you're not allowed to shoot 3s,' " said Landies, with a smile.

Landies admits her outside shot left a lot to be desired as a younger player. Where she was effective was driving in the lane for buckets but the ACL surgeries forced her to re-access her game.

"The one good thing that came from these surgeries, I really had to hone in and focus on my shot," she said. "It's paid off pretty well."

Landies is a junior and a double-major in criminology and psychology. She hopes to work for the FBI as a detective one day. "Big dreams, big plans," she says.

Until then, Ladies intends to use the NCAA COVID-19 waiver and play two more seasons after 2022-23. After four years of grinding her way back, she wants to play as long as her body allows it.

"The moral of the story is perseverance," said Landies, who does not wear a brace on her left knee. "Don't give up. There were days when I wanted to give up. Four years later, here we are."