Behind 19 points and 12 rebounds from Rienk Mast, Nebraska handed Kansas State a 62-46 beatdown that served as a signature road victory on its eventual NCAA Tournament resume. It also marked the beginning of what would become a grueling, nearly two-year journey for the senior forward. In a video released by Nebraska Athletics on […]
Behind 19 points and 12 rebounds from Rienk Mast, Nebraska handed Kansas State a 62-46 beatdown that served as a signature road victory on its eventual NCAA Tournament resume.
It also marked the beginning of what would become a grueling, nearly two-year journey for the senior forward.
In a video released by Nebraska Athletics on Tuesday, Mast revealed that he first began experiencing significant pain in his left knee the week before NU traveled to Manhattan, Kansas, in December 2023.
He didn’t practice at all leading up to the game. With the help of “a bunch of pain meds,” Mast battled through to help handle the Wildcats. By the following morning, he knew surgery was inevitable.
However, what was initially supposed to be a standard clean-up surgery to remove some loose cartilage evolved into a much bigger issue. While Mast toughed out the remainder of the 2023-24 season, he was faced with two paths.
He could opt for a short-term fix, or he could undergo an extensive surgery that would, hopefully, solve his knee issue for good. Mast chose the latter, knowing that it would sideline him for at least a year.
“It was tough. It was disappointing,” Mast said in NU’s video. “But now I feel grateful that the people here have supported me this much throughout this. They’ve helped me so much through the rehab, and they’re giving me a chance to play again. Because with this surgery, it’s just a question of will you ever play again.”
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Mast stuck to Nebraska’s plan
Mast underwent his surgery in the spring of 2024. It wasn’t until this past July that Nebraska’s trainers and doctors cleared him for live on-court activity.
Husker men’s basketball athletic trainer Andrew McCabe said Mast’s surgery was the most complicated procedure, from start to finish, that he’d ever experienced over his nearly 20-year career.
“It was something that we had to get right,” McCabe said. “It was a challenge to make sure that we followed the procedure and the protocols correctly. But I would say without him being diligent on his end, it would have been much more challenging.”
Kurt Joseph, Nebraska’s director of men’s basketball strength and conditioning, has been alongside Mast throughout his recovery. Joseph said that he, NU’s athletic trainers, team doctors, and physical therapists, strategically planned every step of the process.
They’d present each phase to head coach Fred Hoiberg and his staff to keep them in the loop. Hoiberg praised Nebraska’s “synergy” at every level since Mast’s surgery.
Joseph said the x-factor was Mast’s determination and perseverance.
“You never know what type of athlete you’re going to get when they get hurt,” Joseph said. “Some guys are extremely motivated. Some guys are motivated at first, but then they lose confidence in themselves or they lose a sense of self-worth after a while.
“But Rienk is such a mentally tough person that it was extremely easy to keep him motivated. He just wants benchmarks, and he wants a plan.”
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Small victories led to big progress
Focusing on incremental progress and daily goals was what helped Mast make it through his arduous recovery. Rather than get caught up in the end goal, Mast strived for smaller benchmarks.
After hardly being able to walk over the first two months following the surgery, taking his first unassisted steps was a significant milestone. Then it was jumping again. Eventually, he was on the court shooting his first jump shot in over a year.
“It became kind of like Rocky and Apollo Creed, if you will,” Joseph said. “I’m just like yelling at him, ‘There is no tomorrow!’ That type of deal. (Mast) really took to that and really took it as a challenge to push himself. He really, really pushed himself. He’s gained a lot of muscle over these last 11 months.”
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Mast is eager for his play to speak as loudly as his words again
One of the most difficult aspects of Mast’s recovery was watching from the bench during Nebraska’s up-and-down 2024-25 campaign.
He tried his best to stay involved and help his teammates, mainly by providing as much vocal leadership as possible. But Mast admitted that his voice only did so much without being on the floor with his team.
“It’s tough to completely be on the sideline and not even be able to show what you mean,” Mast said. “I just tried to do what I could here and there, but it sometimes felt very limited in what I was able to do. It was a very long year. I tell these guys, the last time I played basketball was that NCAA Tournament game. Just getting on the court and being with my guys and playing basketball is what I look forward to…
“To put on a jersey again, that will be great. With all the support that I’ve gotten here, I want to repay that and give them another great season. It feels right over here, and I want to play for all those people.”
Those inside Nebraska’s locker room can’t wait either.
“I have 100-percent confidence that comes September or October, he’s going to be a better Rienk,” Joseph said. “He’s going to be a more mentally tough Rienk, he’s going to be a stronger Rienk, he’s going to be a more battle-tested Rienk.
“He has the biggest advantage of every athlete – he’s had to sit and watch everybody play basketball for an entire season. So he’s just been waiting, and the beast that’s about to come out of him, I’m so excited to see. Because people have no idea how hard he’s been working and how ready he will be, not just mentally, but physically.”
Category: General Sports
