DANVILLE, Ky. - During the 2023-24 and 2025-26 seasons Riley Mastin averaged about 13 points and nine rebounds per game for Centre College and shot over 52 percent from the field.

Great numbers but the problem is the 6-foot-6 Mastin only played in 14 games his freshman season and nine his junior season because of knee injuries. His sophomore year in 2024-25 he played only 30 minutes in five games due to the knee injury suffered his freshman season.

"I never got hurt in high school (at Mason County) but I have been very injury prone in college. I don't know why and both injuries have been non-contact situations which has made it even more frustrating," Mastin said.

In February of 2024 he tore both his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee. He rehabbed from the surgery but got back for only limited minutes his sophomore year.

"I had the ball, went to pivot and my knee just gave out," Mastin said.

He started all 14 games he played in as a freshman averaging 13.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. He scored a career high 33 points against Rhodes and had double digit rebounds in eight games.

The Centre junior played in nine games last season before he dislocated his knee cap and tore his ACL meniscus in his left knee in late December. He started all nine games he played and averaged 10.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the field.

"This time I went up to block a shot, landed and my knee completely gave out. It was pretty nasty," Mastin said. "There was no comparison to the first one. I have had complications from this injury and surgery. The doctor told me I did a lot more to it and it would take a lot more time to heal and recover. There is no timeline.

"I have been about to go insane just having to rest. I like to go out from daylight to dark. I can't stand to be inside. This has been teaching me patience, or at least trying to teach me patience."

Mastin was on and off crutches and trying to be careful to make sure he gets back to where he can walk normally.

"I am just looking to get back to daily life activities. It takes a long time with any knee injury to come back. I was lucky the first 2 1/2 weeks after surgery not to have too much pain and then it ended up swelling again."

Mastin had to miss class time and do more online work which he said was difficult at Centre because of the heavy academic workload. However, he's used to figuring out how to make things work.

He worked as an apprentice electrician in the summer of 2023. He was a sales intern last summer, has worked at Lowes and currently works part-time at a local horse farm.

"A lot of it is putting yourself out there. I grew up on a cattle farm and have tried to see what the world has to offer. I learned my work ethic from my grandparents and parents," Mastin said. "I can switch from industry to industry and be fine. It's all easier than working hay or digging post holes.

"If I had not gone to Centre, I would probably be an electrician. There are not a lot of jobs around Maysville and I got some help through my high school teacher. Things just have fallen in place like God wanted to happen. I have met the right people at the right time. I love working at the horse farm six to eight hours a week just to be out doing something."

This summer he has a position with Bank of America at its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., where he will be interning with the Global Risk team.

He doesn't know what will happen basketball-wise his senior year. He went to as many home games as possible this season after he was injured to support his teammates who finished the year 14-12 under interim coach Gavin Root.

"I was so up and down with complications related to the swelling that I had to be careful about what I did," Mastin said. "My parents, grandparents and my teammates Landen (Hamilton) and Izayiah (Villafuerte) have been through it all with me. Both my coaches (Root and assistant Ed McKinney) have been great. I could not ask for a better support staff around me. It takes a lot of people and emotional support to get over this. It's as much mental as physical. I am lucky to have the circle of people around me that I do."

Mastin would like to play his senior year but also knows how hard that might be.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself about coming back. My freshman year right when I got hurt I was playing really well. I was able to win rookie of the year (in the Southern Athletic Association) only playing half the games," Mastin said. "That was a bummer.

"It seems like just a little setback again but this one has been tougher because basketball was taken away again. This is a nine- to 12-month recovery. It takes a lot out of you. When I came back from the first injury and got thrown back into basketball it felt like the game was so fast. I couldn't get accustomed to that.

"This year I was finally feeling comfortable again with that knee and not thinking about it and then the other knee gave out on me. Basketball, along with academics, brought me to Centre. To have it taken away twice is very hard and we'll just have to see how I feel when it comes time to decide about next season."