Jamestown Community College women's basketball player Kelsie Beaver made a trip back to Buffalo for surgery on Monday after being struck in Saturday's semifinal game in the NJCAA Region 3 Division II Women's Basketball Tournament at Erie CC.
According to JCC coach George Sisson, it was 14:05 into the game, which was tied, when Beaver was caught in Erie's trap just across halfcourt and was fouled. After the foul was called an Erie player struck Beaver in the jaw.
The ECC player was charged with a flagrant foul and was ejected from the game. Then the Lady Kats coach was charged with technical foul.
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That resulted in four technical foul-shot attempts for the Jayhawks and Lauren Saglimben made them all to give JCC a four-point lead. The Jayhawks remained in front until less than four minutes were left in the first half. Then they trailed for the remainder of the game.
Erie won, 72-50, and then went on to defeat Alfred State College in Sunday's championship game to successfully defend its regional title and return to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.
After the game, Beaver was taken to Buffalo General Hospital and later was transferred to Erie County Medical Center. She was released early Sunday morning.
The Randolph Central School graduate returned to ECMC on Monday morning for surgery and returned home in the afternoon.
The incident is being reviewed by both JCC and ECC.