Boilermaker Signee Returning To Form
After missing virtually all of last season with a knee injury, Boilermaker signee Bryant Dillon is returning to his old form.
The 6-foot-6, 180-pound point guard from Southwestern Illinois College, who blew out his left anterior cruciate ligament in just the third game of his sophomore season last year, says he’s nearing 100 percent, if he’s not there already.
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After taking a redshirt season, Dillon is back on the court for Southwestern.
"I think it’s pretty much 100 percent," Dillon said of his knee. "I don’t feel any pain in it and I’m playing pretty well on it. … I don’t really even think about it much anymore.
"Maybe in the second game of the season at Vincennes it was on my mind, because that’s where I’d gotten injured. After that, I haven’t really thought about it. I don’t think about it much at all."
Now healthy, Dillon has helped propel a young Blue Storm team to a 9-2 record, with its only losses coming to very good Allegany and Southwest Missouri State-West Plains teams.
Considering Southwestern’s roster is dominated by freshmen, that’s a pretty strong start. Dillon has been the catalyst.
Playing primarily point guard — he’s also capable of playing shooting guard or small forward, because of his size — Dillon has averaged 16 points, five rebounds and three assists.
"I think I’m doing a little bit of everything — scoring, dishing, rebounding — and I always defend the best offensive player on the other team," Dillon said. "I want to carry the load for my team."
While he does that, Dillon is keeping one eye on the future. He’s been watching Purdue on television whenever possible. Now back home in Indianapolis for Christmas, he attended Purdue’s loss to SMU Sunday, and will be back this weekend, when the Boilermakers host Evansville.
Dillon is just as excited today about coming to Purdue as ever before, and he’s been working diligently to make sure it happens. After allowing his grades to slip while he was injured last season, Dillon’s made up quite a bit of ground academically, he said.
"I finished the semester pretty strong. I’m on track to get (to Purdue)," Dillon said. "I can’t wait."
Dillon has been ranked as the No. 30 junior college player nationally by HoopMasters.com. The Sporting News rated him as the nation’s fourth-best JUCO shooting guard while Lindy’s considers him America’s sixth-best J.C. wing player.
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