Tatianna Thomas’ freshman season is off to a rough start.
On Monday morning, the member of the Oregon women’s basketball team was involved in a minor car accident.
Thomas, who was driving a Mazda SUV, was heading west on Kinsrow Avenue, toward Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, when the accident occurred around 6:45 a.m., Eugene police spokeswoman Melinda Kletzok said. Kletzok said Thomas hit two parked cars, first a green Volkswagen and then the back of a green Acura. Thomas’ car spun and came to a rest on the passenger side, Kletzok said.
Kletzok said the Newhall, Calif., native was cited for careless driving and driving uninsured.
Oregon coach Bev Smith says Thomas suffered bumps and bruises. Smith also announced Monday that Thomas will take time away from the team to heal physically and emotionally.
When Thomas will return remains unknown. Oregon’s first exhibition game is set for Nov. 1 at McArthur Court.
“I think that we’ll evaluate this week and see how it goes for her and see how she is recovering,” Smith said.
Smith, who spends countless hours around the players, develops a bond with the players and says she was concerned when she learned about the accident.
“It is scary and so we spend a lot of time educating them in terms of the rights and wrongs of just spending their time,” Smith said. “It’s always better to be there safe than to be there late even though there’s also consequences to being late.
“It’s just something that young people go through. There is just always a lot on their mind and sometimes they just don’t have their mind focused on some things.”
The 5-foot-11 Thomas, who is listed as a guard, played with Oregon sophomore guard Taylor Lilley in high school at Hart High in Newhall, Calif.
“I think I’m ready (to contribute),” she said at the women’s basketball media day. “I’m slowly developing and improving everyday and just trying to take in everything the coaches are telling me and using the advice that the veterans have given me and just learning the whole process.”
The time away from the time shouldn’t impact Thomas’ ability to fit in and make an impact early on, Smith said.
“She’s very athletic,” Smith said. “She picks up things pretty fast and I think she’ll slowly get back into it.”
The most important thing, Smith says, is that Thomas avoided more serious injuries.
“I think she’s very fortunate just in terms of the extent of the accident so we’re counting our blessings for that and happy that she’s not going through any more extensive sort of injury problems,” Smith said.
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Freshman guard Thomas suffers injuries in wreck
Daily Emerald
October 24, 2007
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