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Nate Oats offers injury updates on three players after Arizona loss

1918632_10206777287683070_1367905321192383146_nby: Charlie Potter6 hours agoCharlie_Potter

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama entered Saturday’s game against No. 1 Arizona with 12 of its 13 scholarship players available to play, with the lone exception being center Collins Onyejiaka, who is out indefinitely with a medical condition. Eleven players saw the Legacy Arena court in the Crimson Tide’s 96-75 loss to the Wildcats, as guard Davion Hannah did not play.

Alabama’s starting big man Aiden Sherrell also did not finish the game, despite a strong start. Sherrell finished with seven points, five rebounds and eight blocked shots in 20 minutes. Why didn’t the sophomore see the court late in a game the Tide was out-rebounded by 20?

“He had full-body cramps,” said Alabama coach Nate Oats. “When he came back out of the locker room, the way the score was by the time he came back out, it didn’t make any sense to put him back in and risk anything. So Clarke (Holter) does a great job. Dr. Buettner and Clarke will evaluate him. Shoot, I don’t know, maybe get an IV or something. 

“I don’t know why he started overheating and his body cramped up. So it just didn’t make any sense to put him back in. But he played great for the 20 minutes he was able to play tonight.”

Alabama guard Aden Holloway returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with a wrist injury. Holloway played 21 minutes but did not score in the 21-point defeat. The starting guard only attempted two shots and missed both and turned it over twice against ‘Zona.

“The wrist is obviously bothering him,” Oats said. “This isn’t how he usually is. He wasn’t aggressive like he usually is. I think he was tough, tried to play for his teammates, make it go. But I mean, he wasn’t even shooting threes. Two days ago, he shot some. Yesterday, he was able to get it up, but thought he’d have to get his legs more into it. 

“And obviously, he wasn’t comfortable, because he’s a lot better player than what he showed tonight. He’s played a lot better for us in the past. But yeah, we need to get healthy.”

Back to Onyejiaka, the freshman big only played in two games before being ruled out by Oats. After the Arizona game, Oats was asked for an update on the 6-foot-11, 265-pound center.

“I think he’s gonna have to have another procedure done, from what Clarke’s telling me, and I think he had to wait some time to have it done,” Oats said. “So it’s gonna be a while yet before we know. And then after the procedure, you gotta wait so many weeks and see where it goes. So he’s not gonna be back playing anytime soon here.”

Alabama will next host South Florida on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. CT (SEC Network+).


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