Fisher has overcome turbulent year away from court to lead ’Gades
| Saturday, Feb 06 2010 10:11 PM
Last Updated Saturday, Feb 06 2010 10:16 PM
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BC sophomore forward Bobby Fisher was a star on BC's state final 4 team two seasons ago. Then he got kicked off the team, straightened things out, but then hit a rough patch this summer when his grandmother (who raised him) died and he was shot the day before her funeral. He also had a baby girl after that. But he's back and doing well as BC makes a likely run at the state playoffs.
BC Sophomore forward Bobby Fisher warms up before practice Monday afternoon.
Michael Fagans / The Californian Bakersfield College's Bobby Fisher pulls down a loose ball during the Renegades game against Citrus College's at Bakersfield on Wednesday night.
Michael Fagans / The Californian Bakersfield College's Bobby Fisher takes the ball to the basket against Citrus College's Cameron Khoury during their game at Bakersfield on Wednesday night.
Michael Fagans / The Californian Bakersfield College's Bobby Fisher battles Citrus College's Cameron Khoury for a rebound during their game at Bakersfield on Wednesday night.
The bad news for Bakersfield College forward Bobby Fisher started two years ago.
He was kicked off the men's basketball team following the Renegades' final four state playoff appearance because he stopped going to class.
Fisher, 22, didn't play at BC last season but he resurrected himself in the eyes of coach Rich Hughes by re-committing himself to academics.
While that was a positive, other off-court incidents 2,000 miles away in his hometown of Chicago seemed to push Fisher to rock bottom.
First, he was devastated in June when his grandmother, Lydia Fisher, died after suffering a stroke.
"My mother was always around, but grandma was the one who raised me," Fisher said.
He returned to his home on Chicago's south side for the funeral on June 16.
The day before, as he stood outside his home, he was wounded by gunfire when a shootout erupted.
"I was standing in front of my house with my 8-year-old brother, waiting for a car to take us to the viewing," Fisher said. "These guys started shooting at someone down the street and across the street. I got hit with the first bullet."
The bullet -- he said he thought it was a .45-caliber slug -- went into the top of his left foot, near the ankle, and cleanly exited on the left side of his ankle.
The target of the shooting was killed at the scene.
Even more scary: as bullets whizzed past them, Fisher covered up his brother. A bullet ripped through his brother's pant leg but didn't strike either of them.
Fortunately for Fisher, the bullet that hit him didn't strike any bones. But the injury still meant 3 months of healing and rehabilitation before he could resume basketball.
Things began looking up in the fall when his daughter, Zae'kyra, was born. She was his second child. A son, Carmelo, is 2.
"He's back in Chicago," Fisher said. "I'm going to send for him next month and I'll have him come here for spring break. My cousin's going to bring him down. I'll have him here a month or two."
Ensuring a strong family bond is part of the legacy he said was instilled by his grandmother.
Sure, Fisher has a goal of completing his degree at BC and earning a Division I basketball scholarship.
But he's also heavily focused on his family. He, girlfriend Brianna Johnson and Zae'kyra are living together as a family and Fisher said he makes sure he spends time daily with Zae'kyra.
"One of my motivations is to turn things around with my education," he said. "My other motivation is my children."
He frequently speaks with his mother, Cathryn Fisher, and also stays in touch with his father, Bobby Dunn.
"I'm always talking to my mom," he said. "She always calls to get on me about my daughter."
But grandma Lydia is often on his mind.
"She was the closest person to me in my life," he said.
And that's added to his maturity and determination to be a good family breadwinner.
"This has all helped me grow a lot, especially when my grandmother died," he said. "I've got to keep my family together. She was the person who did that."
Fisher's typical day is busy.
He works from 9:35 p.m. to 6 a.m. at the Dreyer's ice cream plant on District Boulevard.
He'll get a couple of hours sleep before heading to class at 9:30 a.m. Practice follows at 1:30 p.m., then he'll go home, play with Kae'kyra, get something to eat and try to get a couple of hours of sleep before reporting for work.
"I get about 3-1/2, 4 hours of sleep a day," Fisher said. "I'm a night person. I never got that much sleep, even before."
Hughes said he was willing to give Fisher another chance once Fisher committed to his classroom responsibilities.
"He was really immature his first year," Hughes said. "This year he's way more mature. That has a lot to do with having the baby and working a night shift job to pay the bills.
"It's like life kicked him in the tail and woke him up."
Through it all, Fisher has been a key for BC's basketball season. The Renegades are on pace for a Southern California playoff berth.
A 6-foot-5, 220-pound forward, Fisher averages 15.7 points and nine rebounds per game. He's had at least 20 points six times and topped 10 rebounds 10 times.
He had 17 points and 17 rebounds on Wednesday when the Renegades improved to 19-5 by beating West Los Angeles College 83-72.
Fisher said he has received letters from Division I schools but hasn't spoken to anyone.
Hughes said he prefers handling potential Division I contacts himself during the season so his players can focus on academics and basketball without additional distractions.
