Kalynn Callihan didn’t plan on allowing a freak accident to ruin her junior season.

After all, the pass she caught in an open gym two months ago wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Callihan would have never guessed it would have done any damage.

But when she heard a pop, Callihan was worried. The 5-foot-6 guard for the Butler girls basketball team had a pass tear all of the tendons in her left thumb.

Five weeks ago, she underwent surgery to fix the damage. It was a wait-and-see situation if she would even play.

“They said we’ll have to see how your thumb takes the surgery,” Callihan said. “I was nervous because I wanted to play. Then I went for my two-week checkup and they said I could play as long as I wore the brace and got my thumb taped up.”

Having Callihan in the lineup gives the Golden Tornado options. The thought of her not playing had junior forward Julia Baxter a little worried.

“(I thought) that we were going to lose one of our main shooters and have to train another girl to step up,” Baxter said. “It was nerve-wracking at first.”

At the Penn Hills Tournament last weekend, she eased everyone’s nerves, including her own.

She played aggressively and was a factor in both games. During the Golden Tornado’s 52-12 win over Kiski Area Saturday, she wrestled for jump balls and dove on the floor for loose ones. Callihan grabbed three rebounds and handed out a team-high three assists.

Not that she’s careless.

“I just try not hitting it because I don’t want to take a chance of bending the pin because then I’ll have to get surgery again,” Callihan said. “I’m more careful about it. I try to not be as dangerous.”

When Butler point guard Alyssa DiPippa got in foul trouble in the Golden Tornado’s 55-49 overtime loss to Penn Hills Friday, Callihan had to bring the ball up the floor.

For Callihan, running the offense requires improvising. She doesn’t dribble as well with her left hand due to the injury, so the offense can only move one way.

Butler coach Dorothea Epps was pleased with how she’s adjusted.

“She’s doing pretty well with that thumb,” Epps said. “That’s hard to play with like that. It’s cumbersome because the ball hits it and bounces off of it funny.”

Callihan scored 17 points in the tournament.

“I’m really amazed by how well she’s doing,” Baxter said. “I give her a lot of credit because it’s still broken.”

Callihan isn’t sure when she can play without the brace, but her level of play and intensity won’t change.

Everyone believes she will continue to play hard.

“She’s a hard-nosed kid who wants to win,” Epps said. “She’s going to go out there and play as hard as she can. It’s nothing special, that’s just what she does.”