Scoggins: Ella Keenan's 'worth it' mentality, and clutch shot, put Chaska in state tournament

The score was tied in overtime with only a few seconds remaining. The moment was tense but also stunning, considering the Chaska girls basketball team had lost to Eden Prairie by 31 points in December. Now the Hawks had a final shot to upset the No. 1 seed in the Class 4A, Section 2 semifinals March 1.

In the timeout huddle, senior Ella Keenan told a teammate not to even look for her because she figured she would be blanketed by two defenders. But when Eden Prairie switched on a screen, Keenan raced to an opening in the lane.

She grabbed a pass, turned, shot … and touched off a celebration.

"That was such a cool moment for Ella," Chaska coach Samantha Canter said. "Just with everything that she has gone through."

Keenan's journey to that game-winning shot and the Class 4A tournament that starts Wednesday has been marked with setbacks and frustration, countless doctor visits and scary episodes on the court.

She wouldn't have even been on the floor in the final seconds of that Eden Prairie game if she hadn't begged her coaches to put her back in. She went to the bench before halftime after feeling disoriented.

Keenan has been diagnosed with a condition called autonomic system dysfunction that causes her to experience vertigo symptoms during practices and games.

She becomes lightheaded, pale, trembly. Sometimes her vision goes dark for a few seconds, or her eyes will cross without her knowing it.

"I'm in my own little bubble almost," she said.

One game, she lunged on the court for a loose ball and couldn't get up. It was if she was frozen, still conscious but just "stuck" in place.

On Senior Night, she was running down court to play defense, began stumbling and fell into the arms of a referee, who caught her before she hit the floor.

That was the final day of January. Her season came to a halt. Finding answers to her health problems became the only priority.

"We got home and said, 'This is not normal,'" her dad Brad said.

The timeline of Keenan's health challenges began during her freshman year when a case of COVID-19 led to a discovery of vestibular system dysfunction. Essentially, her inner ear network was not functioning correctly, which caused vertigo symptoms. Physical therapy helped her feel normal again.

She began her senior year healthy and hopeful. A series of ankle injuries in recent years had provided clarity: Keenan is a standout post player who dreamed of playing college basketball, but she decided her body could not handle the physical rigors. She planned to make the most of her final season.

"I just realized I had to prioritize my health and my mental health, too," she said.

A bout of pneumonia in the fall caused her vertigo symptoms to return. Physical therapy helped again. She felt normal for the most part but occasionally experienced symptoms in practice.

A case of strep throat in December exacerbated her symptoms. She'd lose her balance. She suffered migraines. Her vision became impaired for a few seconds at a time.

The assumption was that everything was linked to vestibular dysfunction and feeling sick. She would pause basketball activities, feel better, return and experience symptoms again.

Her parents, Brad and Jen, kept a close eye on her on the court.

"I'm usually watching the ballgame," her dad said. "Now I watch her. Just to make sure she's all right."

The near-fall on Senior Night made it clear that something more was happening than vestibular-related vertigo or lingering illness effects.

The family already had appointments scheduled with specialists. Keenan underwent blood work, a brain scan, heart ultrasound and electrocardiogram. She wore a heart monitor for two weeks.

She spent more time in doctor offices than classrooms in February.

"Pretty much every test imaginable," she said.

Her cardiologist delivered the diagnosis: autonomic system dysfunction.

The best news: She is not in danger of experiencing a catastrophic event. Keenan was cleared to return to basketball.

Said Jen: "[The cardiologist] said, 'You're not limited by me. You're limited by symptoms.'"

Keenan's mom noted that Ella has a "mixed bag" of medical conditions intertwined to form a complex diagnosis. The family has been told it could take months for her body to completely regulate itself.

Her recovery time after an episode has considerably reduced. Sometimes she feels better after a few minutes of rest.

"We're happy that her symptoms are not lasting quite as long," her mom said, "but it's still frustrating that they're there."

Keenan eased back into basketball in late February under restrictions that limited her to only a few minutes on the court at a time. Assistant coach John Thompson sits next to Keenan on the bench and looks for cues when she's on the court to detect if she is struggling. She gives him a thumbs-up or thumbs-down signal.

"I may not have a full-blown episode, but I don't feel like my normal self [when playing]," Keenan said. "That's just kind of my new normal."

Which begs a question: Why do this?

Why keep playing? Why not walk away?

"It's worth it to play," she said. "I love playing with my team."

That's why she pleaded with coaches to let her back on the court in the second half against Eden Prairie in the section semifinals. She told Thompson that she felt great and that "if this is the last game of my season, I'm not going out sitting on the bench."

She got back in and made a shot that kept the team's season alive. That was a thumbs-up moment.