Before LSU freshman women’s basketball player Dekeriya Patterson ever played a minute of high school basketball, she was offered scholarships from its top programs.
Louisville, the then defending national runner-up, and LSU were among the universities that offered her a scholarship.
But by the time of Patterson’s sophomore season, things had changed. Patterson was struggling to get down the court and was losing the interest of the big time schools. She lost 20 pounds in weight and struggled to sleep; things had taken a turn for the worst.
Patterson was diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia but is now back at the top of her game.
“Now that I am healthy, I am going full force,” Patterson said. “I am ready for the season to come. I feel more confident than I felt before.”
Iron deficiency is common with more than 1.5 billion cases worldwide, and is quite treatable with only 54,000 deaths attributed to iron-deficiency anemia.
But Patterson could have been a statistic. When she was playing without treatment she was at increased risk of a heart attack and stroke.
Her doctors were surprised that she was even able to play.
“It was really heartbreaking,” Patterson said. “I felt like I was not going to be able to play basketball again.”
Patterson was offered a blood transfusion to get her blood iron content to a healthy level, but that would have meant she would not be able to play her junior season. For Patterson, that was never an option.
Instead, Patterson took a series of beet juices and iron pills. In a week her blood iron content was back to a healthy level, and Patterson was able to play again.
Her game improved dramatically. Patterson was able to get down the court without tiring and was able to practice without having to rest.
She led her high school, Dunbar High in Fort Myers, Florida, to the state tournament. By her senior season, she was back at the top of her game.
In her final home game, with LSU assistant Tasha Butts in attendance, Patterson hung 40 points in a 63-49 win over Cape Coral High School.
“She is one of those players that has so many skills on the offensive side,” Butts said. “She can shoot the three. She can create her own shows. She showcased all of that in her last game.”
While Patterson had options other than LSU, including Louisville and South Florida, the team that the Lady Tigers will open the season against, Patterson chose to go to LSU because the Lady Tigers stuck by her when others left.
“I had plenty of offers before I even started playing,” Patterson said. “Once everyone started figuring out I had anemia, a lot of schools backed out. LSU never did. Even when I was down and out, I felt like they really wanted me.”
Now that Patterson is at LSU, she is expected to make a big impact immediately.
The Lady Tigers were last in the NCAA at making three-point shots last season. Patterson is capable of helping the Lady Tigers improve.
“She is very capable of scoring the basketball,” LSU coach Nikki Fargas said. “She has range. Her conditioning and nutrition is something that we take seriously, even if she did not have deficiency. She has done a great job of taking what our nutritionist and strength coach tell her to do to stay healthy.”
Patterson already has made waves at LSU. She started for the Lady Tigers in a win over 83-50 FSG Academy in Italy.
Patterson scored 11 points in that game for the Lady Tigers, as one of three newcomers to start for LSU in Italy.
“It was a great experience to play with a college team,” Patterson said. “It was fast paced and really different from high school. It was good for my conditioning.”
Now that practice has started for the Lady Tigers, Patterson is focused on helping LSU get back to the tournament for a second year in a row.
She is sticking on a routine to stay healthy, that includes drinking beet juice with a recipe prepared by her mother. Her coaches text her reminders to make sure she is on track.
“It is something she is always going to battle,” Butts said.
“But now she has it under control.”