LAWRENCEVILLE — March 3, 2011.

That’s the last time Shereen Lightbourne played in a competitive game for the Rider women’s basketball team. It was a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament loss to Saint Peter’s. She finished with 10 points in 32 minutes.

Since then: 0 minutes, two knee surgeries.

A pair of ACL injuries — one to each knee — have cost her the last two years.

“It’s one of the worst feelings,” Lightbourne said. “It’s like you’re in a bubble, watching people do something you want to do. I’ve learned a lot those two years and it’s made me stronger. I said I was going to use that as a positive as opposed to feeling sorry for myself.”


In what is now her final year of eligibility as a graduate student, Lightbourne is making one last comeback attempt.

“Basically, it’s always an uphill struggle,” she said. “I’m satisfied with my progress. I’m getting better everyday and happy to be back on the floor.”
So far, so good.

“She looks great,” coach Lynn Milligan said. “She’s always competitive. She can score, which is going to be nice for us to have another scorer that we can go to. The biggest thing that Shereen has to work on is game speed.”

Milligan said the two sat down last year and talked about her options and Lightbourne decided she wanted to return.

Milligan told her to rehab and be ready to go.

“I don’t know that there are a lot of people that can come back or want to come back, so I left it in her hands,” the seventh-year boss said. “She’s put herself in position to have a best-case scenario.”

Right now, Lightbourne is on pace to be ready for action when Rider opens the 2013-14 campaign on Nov. 8 at Lafayette.

“She hasn’t missed a day of practice or a workout since September,” Milligan said. “In my eyes, she’s ready to go. It’s where her piece fits within the framework of the team. She’s certainly not, not ready to play. She’s ready to go.”

The most challenging part of her comeback attempt is getting into basketball shape. Lightbourne looks great in tight spaces but it’s the distance between the two 3-point lines where Milligan needs her to be comfortable.

“I’m actually still trying to get back into the routine,” Lightbourne said. “I’m going through my pre-practice routine. I haven’t been able to do a pregame routine yet. Just the other day (in a scrimmage), was the first time playing against some people with some real refs and weren’t my teammates.”

When Lightbourne does get on the court, she brings a scoring presence that the Broncs need. Because she’s a bigger guard, listed at 5-foot-10, she can get her own shot. During the 2010-11 season, she averaged 9.6 points per game.

“She’s a little deceiving with her first-step quickness because she doesn’t look like she’s the fastest person, but in tight spaces, she’s pretty quick,” Milligan said. “She has worked a lot on her shot. Her catch and rise is really solid right now. It’s going to give us another 3-point threat.”

Rider is coming off a 15-win season, the most since 16 victories during the 1994-95 season.

“I’m very excited,” Lightbourne said. “It’s a whole different team than last year. I came here in ’09 and I’ve seen the team gradually get better and better. I’m excited by the competitiveness in practice with all my teammates. I’m ready to take our anger out on other teams opposed to ourselves.”

And finally get back on the court in a competitive game.