Girls: Bell sisters finally ringing in the new season together at Ridley

MEDIANEWS GROUP STAFF PHOTORidley High basketball players Kailyn and Jenna Bell have supported each other while waiting to play with each other for the Green Raiders.

Ridley High basketball players Kailyn and Jenna Bell have supported each other while waiting to play with each other for the Green Raiders. MEDIANEWS GROUP STAFF PHOTO

By Matt Smith

Two sisters separated by two grades at Ridley have forged an unbreakable bond as a result of one’s determination to get back on the court, no matter what life throws her way.

The first time senior Jenna Bell blew out her knee was in the summer before her eighth grade year. She suffered the same injury, to the same knee, two years later.

Jenna’s dreams of playing for the 2019-20 Ridley basketball team that won a Central League championship were dashed.

Understandably, she began to wonder whether she’d ever get the opportunity to play varsity hoops. But despite the setback, Jenna showed up to practices and games to support her teammates. She was there every day.

“I sat on the bench, I cheered, I took notes. Anything I could do, I just wanted to be there,” she said.

Kailyn Bell, by this time, was in the eighth grade. She was the type of talented up-and-comer many high school coaches rave about, the middle-school kid who in a year’s time would play varsity as a freshman and make an impact. But as she worked on preparing to play in high school, Kailyn provided emotional support for Jenna, who had made it clear that another devastating, season-ending knee injury would not deter her from playing the game she loves.

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