Bouncing back

Lia Roberson wants everyone to know that she finished the play.

On a single sequence in the middle of a typical AAU summer basketball game in Kentucky, Roberson suffered a knee injury that would derail her senior year of school ball at Homewood High School.

She made a steal on the defensive end, drove the length of the floor with a defender on her hip the whole way, changed direction and executed a jump stop. She landed on both feet simultaneously and leapt towards the rim to convert the basket.

That’s when she felt it pop.

“I came down where I wouldn’t come down on the same leg,” she said. “After that, I couldn’t move it or anything.”

But like the fierce competitor she is, Roberson made sure to point out in the midst of recalling that unfortunate play, she made the shot.

“I finished the basket. It was an and-one,” she said.

However, the injury was a torn ACL in her left knee, forcing her into surgery and a recovery process that will last beyond the time Homewood’s season concludes.

Roberson had surgery the week following her injury, setting into motion a grueling rehabilitation of physical therapy three days per week after school for two hours or more each session.

The disappointment set in as Roberson realized that many of the visions she had for her senior year would no longer be possible.

“I was really upset about it,” she said. “But then again, God has a plan for everything. I’m not going to question.”

Making matters even tougher, the graduation of Shelby Hardy and transfer of Ajah Wayne left a gaping hole in the Lady Patriots’ lineup. Roberson saw that as her opportunity to emerge.

“I kind of felt like this year was going to be my breakout,” she said. “Since my freshman year, everybody’s been like, ‘Oh, she’s there.’ Senior year, I was like, ‘Somebody’s got to step up. I got it. This is my year.’”

The injury was not easy for the rest of Roberson’s support system, either.

“It’s tough for the entire family,” said Jay Roberson, her father and also the city of Birmingham’s council president pro tempore. “I’m talking grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Seeing her down on the floor before her senior season is tough.”

Lia Roberson held a handful of college offers, but it looked as if those plans may have deteriorated with her knee injury. After the dust settled, one remained.

“Lipscomb was the only one that kept their offer,” Lia Roberson said. “Coach Greg Brown told me when he offered me that no matter what happens, our offer will always stick with you. That’s where I decided to go. I felt that loyalty within all that.”

Lia Roberson didn’t simply stick with Lipscomb because it was the only scholarship offer that remained. Even as other schools entered the picture initially, she always felt a pull towards Lipscomb.

The school also has a biophysics program that is important to Lia Roberson. She’s not just a ball player with nothing else to add.

“Lia is a very astute student, first and foremost,” Jay Roberson said.

Despite being in her first year coaching at Homewood, Jazmine Powers has known Lia Roberson for quite some time, dating back to Powers’ days as a player at Samford.

Powers said, “I was really crushed for her, but I was happy that she had that offer and she committed and secured that scholarship. And just with the type of person Lia is, she’s been in the right mindset coming back. She’s going to have a good opportunity next year at a good school.”

Powers has benefited greatly throughout the year from Lia Roberson’s presence, even without her adept shooting ability to stretch the floor.

“Lia brings a lot to our team,” Powers said. “She has a ton of experience even though she’s not on the court this year. She’s on the sidelines cheering her teammates on. She’s trying to motivate them.”

Lia Roberson can tell that her time on the sidelines will help tremendously once she is back on the court playing again. She recalled an early-season game against Hoover, specifically, as one where she noticed certain things that the Lady Patriots post players could exploit. 

She has also played a significant role in the development of several Homewood players. Kassidy Crawford, Kayla Mikula, Kalia Cunningham and Alexia Hood have risen from complementary pieces to focal points this year.

“For all of them, they’ve played throughout the years, it’s just confidence,” Lia Roberson said. “They know what they’re capable of.”

No matter how this season turns out for Homewood — for the record, she said she believes the Lady Patriots will win the Class 6A state title for the third time in four years — Lia Roberson knows that she has been a part of something special.

“She’s been fortunate to win two state championships and be a runner-up,” Jay Roberson said. “She’s part of setting a legacy. That’s something she can always be proud of.”

Lia Roberson best summed it up.

“It’s just been fun,” she said.