Devin Figueroa's miraculous comeback gives Penn Manor a lift heading into boys basketball playoffs (2024)

Devin Figueroa doesn’t remember much from that night. He was fading in and out of consciousness during the ambulance ride to the hospital.

What sticks out in his mind are the tears. He couldn’t stop crying. Not because he was afraid or in pain. Because he knew his high school basketball career might be over.

“All I could think about was the season,” Figueroa said. “This can’t be my last time playing. This is my senior year. I’ve got to come out with the guys one more time.”

Penn Manor’s 6-foot-1 guard made it back. He rejoined the Comets at Manheim Township Tuesday, hitting a 3-pointer on his first possession. He played significant minutes against Hempfield Thursday.

Given what he overcame, a horrific, head-first fall while driving to the basket, Figueroa’s return felt miraculous. He could have suffered a life-altering injury. He could have died.

Figueroa, coach Larry Bellew said, often attacks the rim with reckless abandon. All the games through the years, all the times he cut through traffic in the lane, he never lost his balance like this time.

“I’ve never broken a bone; I’ve never gotten a concussion,” Figueroa said. “This is all new to me. That was pretty scary.”

Once Figueroa realized he was going to be OK, he turned his attention toward putting on that No. 13 jersey again. The senior’s heart sank at the initial news. He was told he needed to wait a week to be re-evaluated because of the head trauma. That was on Jan. 27, the day after the fall. There wasn’t much time left before the final game.

Figueroa sat in a dark room for three days. No light. No phone. The only break was to watch Penn Manor play McCaskey on a livestream.

Penn Manor’s team is a close-knit collection of friends. Watching Figueroa get hurt was gut-wrenching for them. Welcoming him back was heartwarming.

“To see him go through something like that and bounce back so strong,” teammate Ethan Benne said. “To still have that same fire and love for the game. Still be that fearless kid that he is. It’s inspiring. Truly. It’s such an uplift. We really need him.”

Thursday was the completion of the game against Hempfield that was stopped when Figueroa was injured. It was nearly two weeks later. The Comets held off the Black Knights 50-45 to clinch a spot in the Lancaster-Lebanon League playoffs.

Figueroa, who’s wearing a protective mask because of facial fractures, came off the bench in the third quarter. This was his first time playing in his home gym since he crashed to the floor.

“When I was subbed in, we were on the same side,” Figueroa said. “I caught myself looking at the spot where it happened. It felt weird honestly. It was something I had to deal with. I can’t let that get to me. I have to get that out of my mind.”

Figueroa stepped to the free throw line with 10 seconds left and Penn Manor holding a three-point lead. The senior, standing not far from where he spilled blood onto the court, calmly made both shots.

Penn Manor ran out the clock and celebrated its first L-L tournament appearance since 2010. The Comets will play at Lampeter-Strasburg in the quarterfinals Monday at 7 p.m.

“It means more than the world to me,” Figueroa said. “We’re building this winning culture. You can see it on everybody’s faces. We’re proud. We want to keep this momentum going. Just feel good, love each other and be with each other. You never know when it’s your last.”

Figueroa appreciates that fact better than anyone. When he was riding in the ambulance, he thought the end was already here.