Time for a new beginning
Caleb Homesley is making the most out of his opportunity with the Flames
Second chance — Despite missing his senior year due to injury, Caleb Homesley was brought to Liberty and has made an immediate impact. Photo credit: Michela Diddle
Caleb Homesley led his Porter Ridge High School basketball team onto the court during the Pirates 2014-15 season in his senior campaign. However, the Indian Trail, North Carolina native and Liberty Flames men’s basketball team commit was only six games in before the unthinkable happened.
“I didn’t think it was going to happen to me. … At first I didn’t want to believe it,” Homesley said.
After the game, he felt pain in his left leg, informing him he sustained some sort of injury. But after further analysis by a doctor, Homesley soon learned this was more than just leg pain.
“I tore my ACL,” Homesley said. “At first, I just thought that my knee was hurting. But then I went to the doctor and found out (my ACL) was torn.”
This injury proved to be a devastating blow. He was sidelined for essentially his entire senior year of high school. The injury required surgery, and the young forward was prohibited from playing the sport he loved for six to nine months.
This telling experience proved especially difficult for the then-senior, primarily due to the fact he just committed to Liberty earlier in the year. His senior season would have been an opportunity to showcase his talents one more time in Porter Ridge purple.
“I really wanted to play my senior year,” Homesly said. “I wanted to be a part of the team, but I just felt that I couldn’t be a part of the team anymore.”
Homesley sat out for the remainder of the season. The next game he would play would be nearly a year later for Liberty as a freshman in 2015. However, another unexpected occurrence potentially jeopardized his intentions.
Homesley committed to the Flames in 2014 under the Dale Layer regime. When Layer was replaced with Ritchie McKay, Homesley’s future as a Liberty student became less certain. He still wanted to play for the Flames, but he knew it was no longer up to him.
“I wanted to see what McKay was going to say,” Homesley said. “I still had planned in my mind on coming here, but it was up to him at that point.”
Soon after McKay’s hiring, the freshman learned he had nothing to worry about.
“We knew Caleb had signed (with Liberty), and we wanted him to know he was a part of the family,” McKay said. “So we went and met with him at his high school and … told him that even though he didn’t play his senior year and we didn’t recruit him, we still wanted him. … We owed him an opportunity to play for the college he chose.”
So it was official. McKay had plans to revive a sinking ship, and he wanted Homesley aboard.
Soon enough, Nov. 13, 2015 came. This day was not only the day the men’s basketball team returned to the court, it was the day Homesley did as well. Admittedly, there were nerves. But any bit of nerves paled in comparison to the excitement stemming from playing again.
“I was definitely nervous,” Homesley said. “I can’t lie about that. I just told myself that this was just like any other game. ‘Just go play the game and you’ll be alright.’”
In his first game back, the freshman forward finished with six points and three rebounds in only 14 minutes of play. This sort of stat line would be a recurring theme throughout the first few games of the season.
However, come late December in a matchup against ACC powerhouse Notre Dame, he scored a game-high 18 points in 25 minutes of playing time. This game displayed to the Flames coaching staff that he was ready to take his game to the next level. According to assistant coach Brad Soucie, Homesley’s improvement emerged from his willingness to work and passion for the game.
“I’d say probably early December is when he really made a commitment to dedicate himself to get the extra work in, to work hard everyday in practice, and his improvement continues to show each day and each week,” Soucie said.
According to McKay, Homesley began displaying improvement from the very moment the season tipped off.
“Caleb is just a young man that’s just growing like a weed,” McKay said. “He’s got such a versatile package to his offensive game. He can shoot, put it on the floor, pass. He’s really been the most improved player from start to finish in our season, and I really like his future. … If he works, he’ll have a chance to be all league in the Big South.”
When the season began in November, Homesley usually came off the bench and played less than 20 minutes. But when January came around, he earned a starting role on the team. His play during the month of January excelled at such a high level, he was awarded with the Crons Brand Big South Freshman of the Week honors for games played during Jan. 25-31.
In fact, the month of January as a whole proved to be an impressive one for Liberty, as the Flames won seven straight games. During that span, Homesley averaged around eight points and three rebounds per game.
Along with earning a starting five spot, Homesley has also been trusted in late game situations by McKay.
“It’s very special to know coach trusts (me) on the court,” Homesley said.
Currently on a two-game skid, Homesley and the Flames head to Asheville, North Carolina to face off against the UNC Asheville Bulldogs Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.
Haywood is the editor-in-chief.