Travis Ambrose won't be missing from the Reeths-Puffer basketball lineup for very long, but even a brief departure from the game he loves is tough for him to take.
The R-P standout had surgery nearly two weeks ago to correct a double hernia that was discovered during his preseason basketball physical.
The procedure went very well, and he’s expected to be back on the court for the Rockets within three to six weeks.
Ambrose will know more about the timetable when he has a checkup on Thursday, but everyone agrees he will play this season, probably sooner rather than later, and that it was better to address the hernia and put it behind him rather than risk further damage.
“He’s nearly pain-free already (post-surgery) and feeling really good,” said Reeths-Puffer boys basketball coach Nate Aardema, whose team will open the season a week from Tuesday at Allendale. “But with a kid like that, who wants to be going all the time, you’ve got to try to force him to sit and make sure he’s completely healed.”
Travis Ambrose, right, with fellow junior standout and close friend Jaxson Whitaker.
Ambrose is hoping to be back in the lineup on time for the holiday tournaments in a few weeks.
“They said (the surgery) went as planned,” Ambrose said. “Right now I’m not allowed to lift anything over 10 pounds and I can’t run. There’s very little I’m allowed to do. But as soon as the specialist lifts the restrictions, hopefully I will be able to start running and working my way back.”
Ambrose, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound junior who broke out last season and gained the attention of college recruiters, was stunned to learn that he was injured at all.
He said he hadn’t experienced any discomfort before the hernia was discovered during his regular preseason physical exam. He said his family doctor indicated that he could play through the condition and have surgery next summer, but a specialist disagreed.
“The original intention was for him to play with it and get it fixed in August, then he went to the specialist who said it was better to take care of it now and avoid a possible rupture that would force him to miss the entire season,” Aardema said. “It was a normal procedure and in no way will impact his ability to play this year or in the future.”
Ambrose fights his way to the bucket in a game last season.
Ambrose said he was upset when he received the news so close to the start of the season, but now understands that it was fortunate that the doctors discovered and corrected the condition.
“The specialist said this is legit, you’ve got to have surgery now, so I had it done the next day,” Ambrose said. “I was super upset at first, but my mom and dad helped me realize it was a good break. I’m just sad I can’t play with the team right now.”
Ambrose left his home in California two years ago to move in with his aunt and uncle in the Reeths-Puffer school district. He did so with the blessing of his parents, because they knew how much he loves basketball and wants to play in college, and high school sports were shut down in California due to COVID.
He joined the R-P varsity as a freshman in the 2020-21 season and averaged a very promising 9.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
Ambrose really took off last season, averaging 15.2 points and 10.9 rebounds. He and fellow sophomore Jaxson Whitaker (15.9 points per game) became a dangerous offensive combination for the Rockets, with Whitaker’s perimeter shooting and Ambrose’ dominant inside play.
Jaxson Whitaker and Ambrose work out together in the R-P weight room last season.
While he initially thought his time in Michigan would be temporary, Ambrose said he fell in love with R-P and decided to stay for the rest of his high school years.
He has been very excited about arrival of the new season, because he expects to take another step forward in his development, he thinks his team will be very good, and his parents will finally get a chance to see him play every game.
Matt and Tori Ambrose decided to join their son in Michigan and recently moved to the R-P district, so the family is reunited under one roof again.
“I was so happy,” Ambrose said about having his parents move to the area. “I was ready to have my own home back. My parents support me and my decisions, but they knew they only had so much time with me before college, they wanted to make every moment as memorable as possible, so they sold their house in California and moved here with me.”
Ambrose, right, battles for a rebound last season.
Coach Aardema said R-P will obviously have a slightly different look on the court while Ambrose is recovering, but added that his team has a lot of depth and plenty of guys who can step up and fill the temporary gap.
“I don’t know of too many high school teams that take someone like that off the floor and not have things change a little, but it gives other guys the chance to expand their roles and grow,” Aardema said. “Ultimately, when Travis returns, we will be a better team for it.”
Ambrose said he’s been impressed with the way his teammates have been playing in his absence. The Rockets were 2-1 on Saturday in a series of scrimmages.
“Just watching them the last few days, the energy and effort was amazing to see,” Ambrose said about his teammates. “They were all boxing out and getting rebounds, which is the main thing I do. They actually looked really good without me out there.”