A college freshman is supposed to take a few months to adjust to being away from home, acclimate to classes and a more rigorous schedule, maybe hit a few parties and enjoy a carefree life.

A freshman basketball player is supposed to do the above, and try to wrap it around learning a new system all the while getting comfortable with the talent jump from high school.

Then there's Janita Badon.

If ever there were a kid who's been dealt with a difficult, borderline unfair, set of life circumstances in a short period of time, it's Badon, a freshman point guard for the University of Utah women's team.

And if ever there were a kid who showed tremendous courage just to deal with her personal life, it's Badon, who's rebounded from the adversity of a few months ago and is now a key contributor for a Utes team that's 5-0 in the Mountain West Conference heading into Wednesday's contest against BYU.

Shortly after basketball practice started in October, Badon's grandfather, Alton Badon Sr., died of natural causes at the age of 80.

Less than a month later, Badon's father, Carl Campbell, died of throat cancer at 47. As if that isn't enough to deal with, two of Badon's aunts have since been diagnosed with breast cancer.

"It's definitely been tough to deal with," Badon said. "I just had to go home and think things through. It was really a tough time."

Badon's losses were substantial enough that she considered leaving school altogether. Only a few conversations with her mother, Ann, and with her teammates, persuaded her to stay in school.

Her struggles off the court led to a ton of difficulties on the court. Because she had to go home, Badon missed a huge chunk of preseason practice, which put her at a disadvantage learning Elaine Elliott's complex system. She began the season pretty much out of the regular rotation, and she's just starting to get enough of a feel that she's finally playing on instinct.

That's how long it's taken Badon to reflect on how much she's lost.

Badon, growing up, didn't have a consistent relationship with her father. Not like her two older sisters. He was sometimes incarcerated. And because they didn't live together, Campbell wasn't always there.

That changed when Badon got to high school. The two forged a bond. The iciness of the past wasn't there. For Badon, there wasn't time to hold a grudge. Campbell was a presence, and that was enough for her.

"I had to forgive him," Badon said. "He was my father and he was there. I needed him, simple as that, and he needed me more than anything."

Campbell's death was expected. Alton Badon's wasn't, which made things even harder for Badon.

Badon's support system was vast. In addition to having a huge family at home, Badon sometimes jokes that anyone can be related to her without them knowing it; she's forged a bond with her teammates that's very tight.

"I don't know how she's done it," said freshman guard Iwalani Rodrigues, one of Badon's roommates. "We just all wanted to be there for her. We wanted to be strong for her. Nobody should have to deal with what she's dealt with."

The hurt will always be there, and the pain will linger forever. But Badon has become quite an asset to Utah's quest to win the Mountain West Conference. Her athleticism and her ability to get to the basket off the dribble have proved valuable to the Utes offense.

She's added spark off the bench and she's provided scoring, which is not bad for a position that saw Leilani Mitchell throw up All-American caliber statistics last season.

"Janita's really played well lately," Elliott said. "She's getting comfortable and she's shown enough that she's started to earn minutes for us."

tjones@sltrib.com