A welcome sight: Brianna Klaas back on the court against Coe

UW-Platteville and UW-Stout will join together for a women's basketball game on UWP's Bo Ryan Court Saturday at 3 p.m., but regardless of the game's outcome, the two programs are bonded by something much more important than the final score.

Pioneer guard Brianna Klaas missed all of last season while battling Hodgkin's lymphoma. The 21-year-old from nearby Lancaster still attended classes but was unable to play while undergoing chemotherapy treatments. As stunning as it was for a then-sophomore in college to get cancer, so was Klaas' courageous battle that inspired everyone who knew her. Klaas stayed positive throughout her treatments, attending as many practices and games as she could, despite her weakened condition.

Inspired by her fight, the Pioneer players and staff began the Shoot A Three for Bri campaign, soliciting pledges for every three-point basket the team made during the 2007-08 season. After a school-record 161 three-pointers, the Pioneers raised more than $6,000 that was given to the Grant County Cancer Coalition.

Part of the money came from an unexpected source, as UW-Stout's basketball coach Mark Thomas gave a $600 check for the Shoot a Three for Bri fund. His Blue Devil women's team collected the money by going through the stands at one of the Stout home games as part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association "Pink Zone" campaign. Thomas asked his players what they wanted to do with the collected money. They suggested Shoot A Three for Bri.

"We raised the money for Bri because she is one of us, she is a Division III student-athlete that makes many of the same sacrifices that our players make to attend college, and play an intercollegiate sport, specifically women's basketball in arguably the best DIII conference in the U.S," Thomas said. "Her fight against cancer makes her very special and we wanted to be a part of her winning that battle and in helping to find the cure someday. Cancer has and will affect us all and we wanted to make sure that we did a part in the battle.

"It was easy to get the team involved and they responded with the great character I see every day. Instead of treating Bri as an opponent, we wanted her to know that we respect her as an opponent and we wanted her to know that we can set aside doing battle against her on the court and join in her battle to beat something that is far more important than any basketball game could be: the battle of life!"

The gesture was warmly received at UW-Platteville.

"I was surprised," Pioneer Coach Tina Kuhle said. "Mark approached me at the state basketball tournament last March and he told me, 'Tina, this is what the girls decided to do.' I’ve always respected Coach Thomas, but a gesture like this really shows the true character of a person; he is a man of integrity. It just shows that we can battle each other on the court but once we step outside the lines there is a strong belief in fighting this disease.”

Klaas was touched by the move as well.

“It just goes to show how such a great sport can bring people together, and something that is not so fortunate can bring people together,” she said. “… It was very touching, and at the time I needed all the help I could get. ”

Kuhle said the Pioneers were warmed to see not only Stout's response but cards and letters from around the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

"We’ve had so many well wishes from so many coaches and teams throughout our conference,” Kuhle said. “I think that says a lot about the respect we have for one another."

Perhaps the best tribute to Klaas came in the Pioneers' lone home game against Coe on Nov. 25, in that there was no tribute. When she entered the game in the first half, there was no standing ovation, no tears shed, nothing. After more than a year away from the game, Brianna Klaas was simply back on the court where she belongs.

“It’s a great feeling,” she said. “It’s something I’ve looked forward to since my freshman year since I tore my ACL. I thought there was going to be a day that would come when I would be back out there again. My team has been awesome about having me back. It’s been really nice.”

Klaas is trying to get back to the high levels she played as a freshman in 2006-07. She averaged 8.8 points in 11 games, including a 25-point performance in a win at Augustana. This year, Klaas, still a sophomore eligibility-wise, has played in seven of the nine games, averaging 3.2 points per contest.

“It definitely took me the first half of the season to try and come back,” she said. “Even though I know the game of basketball and worked out a lot during the summer and stuff, I wasn’t there yet. Even with the week off, I’ve worked every day. I can’t take a day off. One of the hardest things for me right now is that I started (seven games) as a freshman, and here I am a junior in school, and I get tired in a lot shorter time. I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think I’ll ever have my full lung capacity back. I can feel myself getting better.”

Her coach has noticed some of the old Klaas traits surfacing in practice the past few weeks.

"She was a great player before this unfortunate incident, and some of the things we saw back then, we’re starting to see again,” Kuhle said.

After everything Klaas has gone through, she has a couple of pinch-me experiences to make sure she is really back on the court.

“There have been a few times, like right before the game starts when we’re doing the warm-ups, and the national anthem,” she said. “Sometimes I’m just like ‘wow’. I’m so fortunate. There are people my age who get cancer that is not curable and they never get to come back. I’m very fortunate.”

Klaas will line up against the Blue Devils for the first time Saturday, but the game will be in the forefront.

"Mark's not one to make a big deal out of this, but I've sent him e-mails and letters, and Bri has thanked him," Kuhle said. "Our focus on Saturday is going to be on UW-Stout. As much as we appreciate their generosity, that’s the mindset we’ll approach the game with, but I hope he knows that it really comes from the heart when we say thank you."