MARTINSVILLE — Eight weeks is still no insignificant period of time.

But for Purdue signee Mason Gillis, after missing his whole senior season at New Castle High School following knee surgery, the remaining balance on his projected recovery timeframe — those eight weeks — represent the end nearing.

April 1 was a key date, the day he was cleared to begin running and jumping again.

"It's tough, but we're getting closer," Gillis said Saturday, at the North/South All-Star Classic in Martinsville, which he watched from his team's bench. "It feels a little bit better now that we're getting close to the end."

Roughly a year ago, Gillis injured his meniscus in a grassroots game, requiring routine surgery. In the summer, though, a second surgery was required, again on his meniscus, this time, though, with some "preventative" components, including microfracture methods, in order to better guarantee the cartilage's well-being long-term.

"It's getting real close," Gillis said. "I felt like April 1 was never going to come."

The forward said he's been shooting hundreds of free throws a day and now that he's been cleared for more movement, he'll add more jumpers into his routine, but while eight weeks is his baseline for full clearance, he knows patience may be needed thereafter, too. He's not played in a basketball game truly at 100 percent in about a calendar year. It might take some time to round back into form, but he won't enroll at Purdue until June, so he does have time.

"It's not like I'm going to be just waking up and getting out of bed at the end of those eight weeks," Gillis said. "I still have been working out, and I'll build that up to try to make it easier and easier."

Obviously, the end of this injury ordeal will be a welcomed sight for one of the state's top players in the 2019 class.

"We sort of (live) by, 'Everything happens for a reason,' good or bad," Gillis said, "and I guess I was supposed to sit out this season."

Membership Info: Sign up for GoldandBlack.com now | Why join? | Questions?

Follow GoldandBlack.com: Twitter | Facebook

More: Gold and Black Illustrated/Gold and Black Express | Subscribe to our podcast

Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2019. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited.