“Listen Up” by Lil Baby flows through the ears of junior Nanak Ofori-Mante as she steps onto the court in Upper Kovler for the first time in almost two years. She has just recovered from a torn meniscus and sprained ACL. Excitement and adrenaline surge through her body as she takes her position as a guard among her teammates.
She is finally back.
While it is her return to U-High gameplay, Nanak had been present for her teammates. She was at every practice, every game and every team event, supporting her team from the bench while preparing for her eventual return.
After being unable to play from January 2024 to April 2025, Nanak has returned to the U-High basketball team with impressive skill, complemented by new perspectives and leadership skills shaped by her time on the bench.
Since her return, she has made up for lost time. As of mid-January, she leads all girls basketball players in Illinois, averaging more than 30 points per game. She is in the top 10 for rebounds and the top 20 for free throws.
Nanak began playing basketball in elementary school after her mom’s suggestion. While she struggled at first, she improved through consistent practice.
“I used to dribble in my basement for two hours on end,” Nanak said. “I wanted to get better, and I kept dribbling in the basement, and then I realized I was getting better, so I just kept doing that.”
After her injury last year, she could not play the sport that she had dedicated so much time to. She was discouraged and even felt lazy.
“The hardest part was sitting on the bench because I wanted to play so bad,” Nanak said. “And the hardest part was watching [my team] play when I knew I couldn’t run.”
Despite not being able to play, she found that showing up for her team and engaging with her teammates at practices helped her stay connected to the sport.
“I think being there in the basketball environment helped me through the injury. Being around my teammates, being around my coaches, really helped, too,” Nanak said. “I would stand around and be a dummy defense, I passed the ball, I would get rebounds, I would cheer on the sideline.”
Teammate Venice Czarnecki-Lichstein, a junior power forward, appreciates Nanak’s leadership style. Venice is impressed by Nanak’s intense investment in the game, as well as her work ethic.
“She keeps on pushing us, even when we make mistakes and stuff like that, to really learn from them, both within practice and within games,” Venice said. “I admire the amount of work she puts into not only how she plays but also how the team plays.”
Head coach Alexis Jenkins said that Nanak is respected by her teammates for her active and vocal leadership. Even when she could not play, Nanak consistently supported her teammates.
“That’s half the battle, showing up and keeping the team engaged. It’s difficult when you don’t have your best player on the floor, but that’s what a leader is,” Ms. Jenkins said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in the game or not. You should be engaged in helping your teammates out. She’s done that throughout her high school career.”
After Nanak’s injury, she sat out for a week in basketball but continued to play after that. Her injury worsened, and a few months later she decided to undergo surgery. Nanak is grateful for her mom, who supported her through recovery.
“When I first got that surgery, she would stay up with me all night, even though I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “She would bring my food to my bed, she would do my medicine, she was like my caretaker. She really pushed me through.”
When Nanak returned to basketball after surgery and months of physical therapy, her fears of becoming injured again were overpowered by an overwhelming eagerness to get back on the court.
“Physically, I feel great. I was actually really excited for the season because I really, really, really, really wanted to play again this year,” Nanak said. “Before the first day of practice, I would tell myself, ‘You got this. No injury is going to happen again.’ I was repeating to myself positive affirmations.”
As captain of the team, Nanak’s time on the bench has influenced her leadership style.
“I was not as vocal. Being on the bench helped me learn that it’s important to talk to your teams and coach them from wherever you are,” Nanak said. “Sometimes I can yell at them, not because I am trying to be mean, but just because I am passionate about what’s going on.”
When the buzzer goes off, and her first game back has started, Nanak weaves through players to score with unmatched skill and determination, proving to the fans that her injury did not weaken her, it made her stronger.
