[01/06/02]The physical scar that runs down the front of Catrina Frierson’s left knee is only one reminder of the worst days of her young life.

Every time the Louisiana Tech standout runs down the floor, it’s there. Every time she jumps for a rebound or takes a short jumpshot, the thought of the twisted, mangled knee lingers.

“I do think about it,” Frierson said. “If I feel something, I wonder if my knee’s going again. I never want that to happen again.”

It was because of a jump for a high pass in a pickup game almost one year ago that took one of the Lady Techsters most promising returning sophomores into a cheerleader fighting for a way to return to her form.

Frierson was in the best shape of her life and one of the final memories of that freshman year sinking two free throws with two seconds left against Vanderbilt to send La. Tech to the Sweet 16 was the springboard to what was supposed to be the standout year of an already standout career.

“I was in Dallas, Texas recruiting and got a cell phone call,” said Louisiana Tech coach Leon Barmore, whose storied career has seen the Lady Techsters claim one national championship.

“It was the most devastating injury in my whole coaching career. I’ve had people hurt before, but the timing of it knowing how valuable she was to us it was so tough. We were all low around here.”

With a starting slot virtually locked down, Frierson changed her mindset to be a team leader in street clothes, all the while rehabilitating every day trying to get the knee to where it once was.

Despite not playing last year, she is a candidate for the Naismith Award, given annually to the best men’s and women’s college players in the country. Her redshirt season means she has this year, plus two more to play.

Barmore believes that, maybe not in the early season, but later on she should be back to the producer she was as a freshman.

“This kid is nowhere near where she’ll need to be,” Barmore said. “My guess is that she is about 75 percent and she needs to get 15 or 20 more percent.”