Seven-footer Cusworth back from injury

Ivy League seven-footers carry a lot of weight, literally and figuratively, on their typically undersized squads.

A towering presence in the paint is invaluable, as the largest Ivy player rarely exceeds 6-foot-10 and 235 pounds.

The weight was a little too much to carry for Harvard's 7-foot, 250-pound center Brian Cusworth, who sat out all of last season with a stress fracture in his foot. But he is back on the court this season scaring opponents with his long wingspan and ability to spread the defense with his shot.

He is currently averaging 14.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

The junior did not even make it onto the hardwood for a single minute of his sophomore season due to the injury.

Cusworth's ailment is an unusual one in that it is often times difficult to know exactly when it occurred. He played in multiple practices before he found out that his foot pain was being caused by more than simple wear-and-tear.

Unlike tearing a muscle, a stress fracture slowly develops when too much pressure is put on a given body part over time.

"As a seven-footer, he was putting a lot of pressure on his feet," Harvard assistant coach Bill Holden said. "That kind of weight coming down on the arch made it difficult to heal."

Cusworth was especially frustrated by the timing of his injury. As a freshman, he had the most minutes of any Crimson reserve and showed the coaches his potential with a 14-point, 12-rebound game against Brown on Feb. 7, 2003.

And with the graduation of big man Brian Sigafoos, Cusworth knew that he would be a go-to guy for the Crimson as a sophomore.

"He thought he was in for a big year," Holden said. "It was very frustrating that he couldn't participate, especially with the year that we had."

It was difficult for Cusworth to watch as his team stumbled to a 3-11 Ivy League record.

Cusworth withdrew from school that semester to help let the bone heal. But now he is back on the court as one of the most intimidating centers in the Ivy League, making the other seven league coaches rue the day that they did not recruit him.

"He reached out to schools and made it aware to everyone that he was interested in the league, so everybody knew him across the board," Holden said. "I don't think anyone pursued him strongly, and it came down to Lafayette and Harvard."

When Holden first saw him in high school, Cusworth looked more like a lanky swingman than a center, standing at about 6-foot-8 and weighing 190 pounds.

"He hadn't grown into his body but he had a good skill package," Holden said. "With guys at that position, you have to go on what they could potentially do down the road. You could see it with him."

After a year of waiting, Cusworth is finally in his rightful starting spot and the Crimson is all the better for it. Harvard has already won two league games and lost two by only a total of five points.

"When you're hurt, it makes you appreciate the game so much more," Penn sophomore forward Steve Danley said. "Some of the times I've come back is when I've grown the most as a player because there's a lot more fireunderneath.

"His presence certainly makes the game a lot different," Holden said. "He brings another dimension to our team ... simply by being on the floor."

Cusworth started two runs -- one right before halftime and one right after -- to lead the Crimson over Cornell last weekend, 74-65. The first drive began with him hitting a trifecta, his third of the year.

Simply the fact that he is comfortable shooting from behind the arc makes Cusworth a very unique seven-footer.

"He can step away from the basket and make shots, and his size is difficult," Penn coach Fran Dupnhy said. "He will be difficult to contend with."

There may be little else to say now that Cusworth has proven that he can handle the pressure.

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