‘I’m happy to be back’: Gonzaga guard Bree Salenbien carves out ways to contribute after return from third ACL tear
When Bree Salenbien tore her anterior cruciate ligament for the third time nearly a year ago, she said in a statement she needed time to decide what her future would hold.
Her initial response following the injury Feb. 6 – the same day that Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier received an official diagnosis of breast cancer – included a statement posted on social media.
“I’m still processing what this means for me and my basketball career, but for now I am going to focus on academics and my health and getting back to 100%,” Salenbien said in her post.
She was the highest-rated recruit (four stars) the Zags had signed. But the injuries have slowed her, allowing her to play in just 41 games since arriving in 2021-22 until returning this season.
Fortier remembers the early conversation with Salenbien after the third injury.
“We were just going to let her play it by ear and support her through it,” Fortier said.
The 6-foot-2 guard said last week she wasn’t sure when she decided to commit to play this season. Fortier believes it wasn’t so much stated as it was an action.
Still recovering and limited to shooting, Salenbien wowed a McCarthey Athletic Center crowd during FanFest on Oct. 12 when she won the 3-point-shooting contest.
“You could just tell at that point she probably was going to try to play,” Fortier said. “We weren’t sure how long it was going to take. We’ve just let her body be the driving factor.”
Fortier has an understandable fondness for guards having played that position herself.
And she has empathy for any player who suffers an ACL injury, having been a victim of one.
So it can’t be overstated how much Fortier respects the injury-plagued career that has marked Salenbien.
Fortier would have understood had Salenbien decided that a third ACL was enough.
When Salenbien fought back after a second ACL to join the 2023-24 team, it appeared the Michigan native was set to carve out a contributing spot with the veteran team. But her return didn’t last long after an injury at practice.
Salenbien’s return this season, coupled with the emergence of Saint Mary’s transfer guard Tayla Dalton, has given the Zags a breath of fresh air. Dalton is playing limited minutes because of load management of three stress fractures in a foot.
Dalton said it’s doubtful she’ll fully heal this season. Dalton has played in 11 games, Salenbien four. They’re averaging a combined 29 minutes a game, which has allowed Fortier to give extra rest to some of her starters.
They’re averaging a combined 12.2 points and 4.4 rebounds. That’s significant. That gives the Zags seven players capable of scoring double-digit points at any time.
They provide instant offense, defense and other options.
“Realistically, having about eight months off I’m not going to come back and be a stat stuffer, dropping 40 balls and things like that,” Dalton said. “But one thing I can control is leadership and experience. Defensively, I can bring some energy, making sure our huddles are together. So while, you know, I might not be filling the stat sheet, I definitely can help the connectivity of the team.”
Dalton said she has to pace herself.
“It’s really hard with it being a load-management injury,” she said. “I’m not able to practice properly. So the coaches have to kind of pick and choose when I can play and when you go into overtime it doesn’t help. The coaches are doing a good job and we’re just making sure I can keep progressing, so eventually I can play a bit more.”
Fortier is thankful to finally have both in the rotation.
“It helps to have senior guards out there where sometimes we’d have two or three freshmen out there,” Fortier said.”
Fortier is especially glad that Salenbien has returned.
“It’s obvious why everyone wants to rally around her,” Fortier said. “It’s hard when you have gone through things like she has. When we told the team (before the Pepperdine game) that Bree was going to play, the locker room was nuts. It was as loud in there as the building was when she subbed in. She’s had a rough go at it. She’s persevering and pushing through it, and it’s a great story to cheer for, you know.”
Salenbien is glad she came back.
“No one knew if I was going to play again, but I’m happy to be back,” she said. “I don’t think there was a strict conversation like, ‘I’m going to play now.’ I just kind of kept practicing. I eased into contact and it just kind of happened.”
Salenbien had been on the court less than a minute when her confidence and trust in her body were tested. She was on a breakaway, going up for a layup when she was fouled and tumbled to the court.
“I got the hit out of the way,” she said. “So that was good. I was fine.”
Fifth-year forward Yvonne Ejim said Salenbien’s presence has impacted the team.
“It’s always nice to have another body, another point guard, somebody with a lot of experience, even though she was out for a lot of games,” Ejim said. “It’s been great in practice. She brings a lot of energy every day.”
Salenbien wants to make an impact.
“I want to bring more competitiveness to practice and just get everyone going,” she said. “I want to be that extra body out there and just do whatever I can to help.”
Salenbien isn’t ignoring the possibility because she’s lived it.
“There’s always the risk of reinjury,” she said. “I mean, I’ve done it three times. We’ve had that conversation each time. But I’ve just got to be confident. I’ve worked really hard to rehab and get stronger. I’m confident in what I’ve done and trust it.”
Fortier thinks Salenbien’s contributions go beyond her playing skills.
“Her basketball IQ might even be better than her basketball skills,” Fortier said. “I joke with her all the time about her being one of my coaches. I wouldn’t bat an eye at adding her to my coaching staff at some point if she ever wanted to do that. She’s another coach on the floor.”
Salenbien has one more year of eligibility. She would like to continue playing but isn’t sure.
“It’s a possibility, but I don’t know how my body is going to hold up,” she said. “We’ll see. I’d love to play another year.”
Her coach would welcome it.
“We would open our arms very wide to welcome her back if her body holds up and that’s what she wants to do,” Fortier said.