Valparaiso’s Lillian Barnes begins her senior season with a perspective she has gained the hard way.

Barnes returned to practice this week after suffering her third injury in as many offseasons, a history the Ball State commit realizes may have affected her recruiting. But that’s basketball.

In early August, her family’s house burned down.

“It’s been a year,” Barnes said. “We pretty much lost everything, but we all survived.”

Barnes said she, her father and her younger brother were inside the house when the fire started and made it out safely. Barnes’ mother and sister, who was on summer break from college, weren’t home at the time. The family’s two dogs survived but not the cat.

“It could’ve been worse,” Barnes said. “Everyone’s OK. We’re living in an apartment now, but it’s all good

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