SAN MARCOS, Texas — An early cancer diagnosis gives perspective to women’s basketball coach Jericka Jenkins.

The Texas State women’s basketball assistant coach was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as a freshman in high school.

“I didn’t really understand, but before I left the hospital, it really did hit me. And I didn’t cry ’til I got home with my mom,” said Jericka Jenkins.

Jenkins was just starting to come into her own on the court. The cancer diagnosis didn’t keep her from pursuing her hoop dreams. She used basketball as an escape as she underwent chemotherapy treatments.

“That kept me going, like basketball did. So I knew I had to have some kind of physical activity, so I wouldn’t be laying in the bed, sulking really. Whenever I got inside the lines, I felt free. I felt like I was comfortable,” Jenkins said. “Just being on the floor, I really wouldn’t think about it too much. Everybody I was hooping with at the gym, they wouldn’t talk about it. It was just like I’m out there, playing basketball with everybody else and I felt wanted and included.”

That escape didn’t take away from reality, which included long rounds of treatment followed by basketball practice. It is something that even Jenkins is amazed by.

“I feel like I was always at the hospital. They were always drawing blood. They would also draw blood through my portacath,” Jenkins said. “After chemo I did do three weeks straight of radiation, and I would go before school, leave radiation and go to practice. And I don’t even know how I was doing that.”

Jericka would be cancer-free her sophomore year, went on to thrive on the court and earned a scholarship to Hampton University.

“My sophomore, junior and senior season we won the conference championship,” Jenkins said. “Then my junior and senior year, we also won the regular season championship. I went to the NCAA tournament three times and got to play a lot of good teams. My junior year I was second in the nation in assists. My senior year I finished fifth.”

All of that experience on and off the court influences her coaching style. It also gave her a new lease on life and allows her to appreciate life no matter the trials.

“Sometimes you see when kids are having an off day and maybe even an off week,” Jenkins said. “I pull 'em to the side and just talk about fighting whatever you’re going through. When you’re inside the lines, forget about everything else. Stay in the moment. Stop thinking so far ahead. Control what you can control in the moment. Continue to battle and compete on the floor.”

“I do believe God put me through that on purpose. Not that he needs to put everybody through something like that, but I do feel like the way I had to fight and just the different lessons I learned. And how I’m just a free spirit and try not to be upset for too long.”

“Just believe things will get better, but you have to go through things. It has to rain for flowers to grow. So you may be in a dark place, but you’ll come out of it.”

Texas State starts this season with a road trip to Baylor Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.