History has a tendency to repeat itself. For the Coffeys, all too often.
Hopkins 6-7 junior forward Amir Coffey, the top boys' basketball recruit in the state in the Class of 2016, will miss the rest of the season after suffering an ACL injury to his left knee Tuesday night. The injury occurred early in the second half of the Class 4A, No. 4 Royals' 89-69 victory over Burnsville when a teammate collided with him under the basket. He averaged 30 points in the Royals' first two games this season.
"The next six months will be tough for him," said Richard Coffey, his father and a former Gopher. "We've gotten a lot of calls wishing him well. The support Amir's been receiving has been amazing."
Amir suffered a broken left leg during the summer of 2013, but returned in time for his sophomore season with the Royals. He already has over a dozen college offers, including one from Minnesota.
"You always run into obstacles, whether it's in life or sports," Richard said. "It becomes a matter of how you push through it. It's up to each individual how they decide to handle things."
Both of Amir's older sisters, Sydney at Marist and Nia at Northwestern, also suffered injuries during their prep careers and continue to shine at the collegiate level. Sydney suffered an MCL injury while Nia broke one of her ankles.
"The two girls and Amir were raised to fight for their dreams," Richard said. "They all know how to fight through adversity."
RON HAGGSTROM
