SIDNEY — Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries aren’t uncommon for girls basketball players. The recovery is a months-long process that often involves surgical repair.

Players usually have to go through physical therapy and slowly inch their way back to playing shape on the court. Some never again are able to play as well as they did before the injury.

Few players who suffer ACL injuries can say they play better after recuperating. Kiara Hudgins can.

Hudgins and Sidney’s seniors were honored before a 32-20 victory over Piqua on Wednesday, which improved the squad’s record 16-4 overall and 14-2 in Miami Valley League play.

Hudgins, a point guard, led the squad with 16 points in a downright-Herculean effort in a defensive game in which many instances of physical contact and hacks drew no whistles.

“We just had to stay strong, keep a tough mind and just keep playing hard and keep the energy up,” Hudgins said.

She scored 10 points in the second half to help the squad pull away after leading 13-7 at halftime. She had a three-point play on a baseline jumper with about 2:30 left in the third to give Sidney a 21-9 lead. The squad led by double digits the rest of the way.

“You see plays that aren’t necessarily the prettiest plays, but she finds a way to get it done,” Sidney coach Jamal Foster said. “She’s done that for four years. It’s no shock that it happened on senior night. That’s pretty much who she is.”

Hudgins is the lone multiple-year varsity senior for the Yellow Jackets, though she missed most of last year after an ACL tear.

The only sign of Hudgins’ injury is a surgical scar on her left knee; she doesn’t have to wear a brace, like many athletes who tear ACLs often do.

Hudgins suffered her injury during summer ball in June of 2022. She had surgery a month later, than began the long rehab process.

“The (physical therapy) took a while,” Hudgins said. “The PT I went to wasn’t the best, but me and (Sidney trainer) Beth (Danklefsen) got after it, and that’s what really helped me come back.”

Hudgins was hopeful to have played more her junior year, but she didn’t return until the final six games and played sparingly off the bench.

But she continued to regain strength and said she got back to normal during AAU last spring.

“I (made peace) I was missing the season, so I knew I really wanted to get back after it,” Hudgins said.

She has.

Hudgins directs things on offense and leads a defense that is holding opponents to an average of 33.6 points per game. She is averaging 3.4 steals and 3.1 assists per game, good for second and fourth, respectively, among MVL players.

“She’s one of the top players in the league and in the area,” Foster said. “… I kind of feel cheated because I didn’t have her last year, but I watched her battle. I watched her come to practice, I knew what type of player she was. To see her bounce back and have the year that’s she had, it’s a testament to how she works.

“She never lost her sprint, she comes in, she’s ready to practice, and she’s always ready to play. You don’t get Kiara Hudgins that often.

Hudgins is also averaging 11.6 points per game, which is a career-high. And despite being the team’s shortest player (she’s listed as 5-foot-4), she averages four rebounds per game.

Foster has been a personal trainer and has AAU coaching experience going back over a decade. He said Hudgins’ return after her injury has been stellar.

“I don’t really see girls bouncing back like her,” Foster said. “… I saw her mentality before the injury, and it’s still there. It was before the injury that sold me on what type of player she was. The heart and the way she goes in day-in and day-out, that mentality, it’s always been there.”

Hudgins has recently decided she’ll play collegiately for Ohio Northern University, where she’ll be a teammate of former Sidney point guard Lexee Brewer, who herself suffered an ACL injury as a junior and battled back to play a year ago as a senior.

“Their assistant coach (Cassie Lastivka) was my AAU coach once,” Hudgins said.

“And there’s a girl up there she knows,” Foster said. “It helps to know somebody.”

Sidney senior center Camryn Edwards and guards Lauren Conley and Aja’nae Cotton were also honored before Wednesday’s game.

Larkyn Vordemark added nine points against the Indians, while Kelis McNeal scored four. Conley hit a 3 in the first quarter.

Sidney is scheduled to travel to Vandalia-Butler (15-4, 13-3) for an MVL game at 6 p.m. on Friday; it’s the first game of a girls/boys doubleheader.

The Yellow Jackets have a one-game lead over Butler and Tippecanoe in overall league standings. They can clinch a share of the league title with a victory on Friday.

“We’re not taking anything for granted,” Foster said. “Our goal coming in (to the season) was to cut the nets down. Our mantra is, ‘We’re still here,’ because we feel we still have a lot to prove. Coming into the season, it felt like we were a little written off. It means nothing if we can’t finish the way we need to finish.

“Locking back in, and understanding it’s one game at a time from Butler to Tipp (on Feb. 10) to tournament, we want to make the season last as long as we can.”

The Aviators beat Sidney 40-38 on Dec. 30.

“Friday’s going to be a much tougher game than today was,” Hudgins said. “We’ve got to be ready. …They had a really good game the first time. We’re just going to have to play hard Friday.”

Russia wins fifth straight, seventh in eight games

Russia won a Shelby County Athletic League game 54-47 on Tuesday in Anna to capture its fifth consecutive win and seventh victory in eight games.

Junior guard Addison Shappie led the Raiders with 15 points, while Claudia Hoehne and Roni Poling each scored 14. Celeste Borchers added eight.

Russia led 23-13 at halftime and 37-24 at the end of the third. Brenna Cobb scored 18 of her 24 points in the fourth to try and help Anna rally, but the gap was too large.

Russia improved to 11-8 overall and 7-3 in SCAL play. The squad is contention with Anna (10-9, 7-4) for second place in SCAL standings.

Russia is scheduled to host Botkins on Saturday. The Rockets are scheduled to travel to Marion Local.

Fort Loramie dominates Fairlawn, clinches SCAL

Fort Loramie, which was ranked No. 1 in Division IV in this week’s Associated Press state polls, beat Fairlawn 59-9 on the road on Tuesday to improve to 17-2 overall.

It’s the first time the Redskins have held an opponent to single digits since beating Fairlawn 54-7 two years ago.

Fort Loramie clinched an outright SCAL title with the win. It’s the program’s seventh consecutive league title.

Reach Bryant Billing at 937-538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.