Hebard suffers head injury at FIBA Americas in Chile
Ruthy Hebard
Fairbanks forward Ruthy Hebard of the USA Basketball U18 Women’s National Team suffered an apparent head injury during Thursday’s 80-59 win over Brazil at the FIBA Americas tournament in Chile.
The 18-year-old starter bound for the University of Oregon was hit in the head, her dad told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
“They’re going to test her one more time to decide if it’s a concussion. If it is, she’s done for the tournament,” he told the newspaper.
“USA Basketball has a first-class medical staff down here, and they’re doing a great job and doing what they’re supposed to do.”
Hebard, of West Valley fame, was coming off a dominating performance in an 117-32 win over Venezuela in which she bagged 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
The 6-foot-4 former Alaska player of the year had started Team USA’s first two games and averaged 6.5 points and 6 rebounds before today’s injury, which was the final game in Pool A for the undefeated Americans before the medal round.