<p>Gavin Dowling doesn’t take a single sprint up the basketball court for granted, whether at practice or in a game. The same applies to every screen he sets, rebound he grabs or defensive assignment he’s given.</p>
<p>Dowling, a 6-foot-4 Greenwood senior capable of powering to the basket or converting the occasional perimeter shot, is making up for time lost after sitting out the final 11 games of last season with a heart condition.</p>
<p>Now he’s back — down 30 pounds this year to 255, yet hungrier than he’s been at any point in his career.</p>
<p>“Obviously, I wanted to be out there with the team. My biggest thing was that without me they were still able to win some crucial games and kind of found themselves as a team,” Dowling said. “You have to make adjustments. That’s the game of basketball.”</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]
<p>Dowling had his own to make. Most notably, learning to overcome the mental block associated with how giving his all on the court might affect his heart.</p>
<p>When should he go all out? Ease up? Find a happy medium?</p>
<p>Those questions arose from a frightening episode during a practice last January, three days after Greenwood lost at home in overtime to Mid-State Conference opponent Decatur Central.</p>
<p>“I passed out and was rushed to the hospital,” Dowling said. “I wore a heart monitor for a few months while I was recovering. I finally got cleared to play, but at that point it was too late in the season.</p>
<p>“I had some health problems that were hereditary and I was in a stressful time in my life. It was a nice, tough practice that day, and it all kind of came down at once.”</p>
<p>Dowling was at the hospital for approximately two hours before medical personnel determined his vital signs were good. Alert and talking to those around him, Dowling was given fluids and a heart monitor to wear for 30 days.</p>
<p>Jessica Dowling was at home when she received the call that her oldest son was being taken to the hospital.</p>
<p>“It was from Greenwood’s trainer, and she was very serious,” Jessica said. “When she told me, my heart just sank, and you have all these thoughts running through your mind. It was a hard drive to the hospital and hard sitting in the waiting room.”</p>
<p>Gavin was eventually medically cleared to play basketball in time for the AAU season. He was part of the Indy Ice 17-under squad, coached by former Pike standout and 1991 Indiana All-Star LaSalle Thompson.</p>
<p>“Last year, when I was in the recovery stage, there were times my heart would start to beat a little bit faster than it normally would,” Dowling said. “There were times mentally I wasn’t able to get over that hump. But over the summer I had a great AAU coach, and we had some good talks.</p>
<p>“After that, it’s been clear sailing. I lost some weight by eating better and exercising more. And one thing (Greenwood coach Joe) Bradburn has said is to push yourself to where you’re almost uncomfortable because that’s where players differentiate themselves.”</p>
<p>Dowling was averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds when forced to shelve the remainder of his junior season. He’s been even more impressive this season with norms of 15.8 points and 7.4 boards.</p>
<p>“Gavin came in this fall with a concentrated maturity. He knew he had some things he wanted to accomplish,” Bradburn said. “I’ve appreciated how he’s focused for his senior year and has led the way for a strong senior group. He understands the game really well. He’s a versatile player with good footwork who creates offense for everybody.”</p>
<p>Dowling committed over fall break to play basketball at Anderson University. A member of the Jade and Rhapsody musical groups at Greenwood, he plans to major in music education at Anderson, a Division III school that plays against Franklin College in the HCAC.</p>
<p>“My ultimate goal is to be able to teach choir at a school someday, but also be able to coach basketball,” Dowling said. “I grew up with my dad loving sports and my mom is big into music, so I kind of combined the two.”</p>
<p>Asked when he’ll sing the national anthem prior to a Woodmen game, Dowling said he’ll have microphone in hand before Senior Night festivities on Feb. 28, when he and his teammates host New Palestine.</p>
<p>Laughing, Dowling said, “I have a little bit of rehearsal time before that, so it’s all right.”</p>
