Collins Has Deacons On the Mend Again
Greg Collins has worked his magic again. Konner Tucker, the sophomore guard who sprained his ankle last Wednesday for the second time of the young season, is back out for practice today and the limp is noticeable only if you look really closely. I congratulated Collins, the basketball trainer, on his handiwork. Collins said that he really didn’t deserve the credit, that it belonged to Tucker and his diligence at rehabilitation. That may be true, I said, but when the player doesn’t get back as quickly as people would like then the trainer can come under criticism. So when things go well, he should get a pat on the back.
Gary Clark is also at practice, but he’s in sweats and a T-shirt, and is not participating. Collins said that hopefully by next week Clark will have fully recovered from the bout with mononucleosis that knocked him out of the first three games. Clark said he may have lost a pound or two, but he said he’ll get it back quickly when he resumes his junior season.
When I asked Coach Dino Gaudio if there had been any contemplation as to whether Clark might should sit out this season and apply for a medical hardship to preserve his season of eligibility, Gaudio said I was the first to even bring up the possibility. So I imagine Clark would have to have a setback that costs him a good chunk of the season for that to come into play.