Long road leads to Pullman for Ephrata's Simon

EPHRATA — Despite a disappointing junior year when he nursed a broken foot, Ephrata’s Patrick Simon still managed to leave a strong enough impression to earn a chance to continue his basketball career once his Tigers’ days are over.

Last week Simon signed a letter of intent to play for the Washington State Cougars and coach Ken Bone beginning in 2010.

The 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward is known as a great shooter and may in fact contribute immediately, especially on the perimeter.

Regardless of missing all of last year, Simon’s performance as a sophomore — leading the Tigers to a 25-2 record and a 2A state title — was good enough to garner attention for his exploits.

“I was never really too worried about it (losing WSU’s interest),” Simon said. “They knew I would be back and I would take care of it. The coaches and I had a strong bond and I knew they wouldn’t take (the opportunity) away from me.”

But then Simon’s bond with the Cougars coaching staff, led then by Tony Bennett, stretched clear to Virginia when the man the Ephrata star hoped to play for moved on to Atlantic Coast Conference country.

According to Tigers coach Brandon Evenson, Simon decomitted to WSU. He had verbally committed during his freshman year. It appeared he was back on the market, at least temporarily.

Schools from the Big Sky, Big West and all but Washington and UCLA from the Pac 10 showed interest in Simon, until he made the trip to Pullman to visit with the new staff.

“WSU was still on the top of my list but I was just kind of curious to see what was out there for me,” he said. “I didn’t know how high a caliber a player I would be thought of by other schools since I committed as a freshmen.

“I expected (Bone) and the staff to be all good guys and have a good atmosphere,” Simon added. “Coach Bone and I talked for a half hour about the direction of the program and how I fit into it. I liked what he was telling me and that he had all these young guys with potential and it really appealed to me.”

Having averted the possibility of being swayed away from a school he had dreamt of playing for, Simon could get back to the task at hand — playing.

Simon suffered a stress fracture in his foot and was put on crutches during the summer of 2008. He said things didn’t feel quite right.

After taking two months to let the foot “heal itself” at the behest of medical experts, Simon tried to get back at it before realizing “it still hurt.”

So it was off to a January surgery, a missed basketball season, and almost a half-a-year of rehabilitation.

“It was heartbreaking. I went to every practice and every game that I would have been involved in,” Simon said. “I tried to keep myself from mentally breaking down. I just wanted to help out my team and be a leader on the court and off the court, but it got to me during games. I’d stand up and cheer but then I’d realize I had to sit back down. I wasn’t in the game. I was all fired up and excited and then seconds later you realize it’s all taken away.”

Finally Simon could get back on the hardwood by starting off with light jogging in May before he was playing again during June summer league games with the Tigers.

“I was being cautious about everything and didn’t want to overdo it when I first came out,” Simon said.  “But the doctor said the fracture is healed and I just had to work myself into shape and work on the flexibility and get my body back into what it needed in order to be able to play.”

By the second tournament he participated in this past summer — a team camp at Lakeside — Simon said  “my foot just felt great and I didn’t see any signs of turning back and re injuring it. I was just ready to go.”

Evenson said with Simon ready to play, the young man, the Tigers, and eventually the Cougars will benefit from his comeback.

“I think its a great signing and it’s great for (WSU) and its great for Ephrata,” Evenson said. “He’s a kid that loves the game of basketball. If he could sleep in the gym he would. He’s one of the hardest working kids I’ve seen as a basketball coach for 18 years.”

Many hope all the work Simon put in playing a position he enjoys will prepare him for the rigors of Division 1 basketball.

“It really helps things having a long reach and being tall,” Simon said. “I always grew up playing on the perimeter when I was really young. I was never one of the big guys because I played (with older kids) and when I got to playing with my grade I still excelled. I’m glad that coach sees that’s what I like to and can do to the best of my ability.”

Evenson felt it was an obligation to do right by everyone involved when many times coaches feel the pull to put their taller players automatically inside in order to capitalize on that size.

“It’s a misconception that he has to play all the time inside,” Evenson said. “We do both and we’ll try to screen down to get a switch with a guard since he has nice post moves. But for our team to be successful we need him outside. I’m also trying to play him at a spot that’s best for Patrick and best for the team — outside.”

And playing outside with his frame may help him make that move to Pullman much easier.

“He played outside on our 2008 team and hit four of five three’s,” Evenson said. “He works hard at it and he’s got a very quick release and is a very accurate shooter from outside. Its also hard to get a hand in his face with his height.”