Troy basketball can't afford injuries

By: Drew Champlin | Dothan Eagle
Published: November 13, 2009

Troy men’s basketball coach Don Maestri is hoping the injury bug won’t bite the Trojans for too long.

Senior guard Richard Delk twisted his ankle in Monday’s 99-93 overtime exhibition win over West Alabama and played just seven minutes. His status for Saturday’s 1 p.m. season opener against Piedmont is uncertain.

Delk is a second-team all-league player who was second on the Trojans in scoring last year at 13.9 points per game.

“The one thing we can’t afford is to have any injuries,” Maestri said.

If Delk can’t play Saturday, Troy is hoping to have him for Monday’s 7 p.m. home game against William Carey. His absence would mean increased minutes for newcomers Vernon Taylor (eight points, eight rebounds in 29 minutes) and Levan Patsatsia (12 points, 10 rebounds in 35 minutes), who had successful debuts against West Alabama.

After the Nov. 16 game, Troy will be away from Trojan Arena until a Dec. 17 game against New Orleans, a span of eight games. Troy plays at Florida on Nov. 20.

Troy signs two in early period: The Trojans signed two players from Panama City’s Gulf Coast Community College Thursday.

Travis Nichols is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound wing player from Brooklyn, N.Y., who spent last season redshirting at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He’ll begin the 2010-11 season as a sophomore for the Trojans.

“He’s a very athletic, physical perimeter player,” Maestri said. “He fits the style that we want to play.”

Troy also signed DeAndrae Ross, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard. Originally from Panama City, Ross played two seasons at South Alabama, scoring 3.8 ppg in 14.5 minutes per game as a reserve last year.

He’s at Gulf Coast this year keeping his academics in order because he’s not eligible to play since he’s already played two years of college basketball.

Troy has three more scholarships to give and will use them in the spring signing period, Maestri said. Two players are sitting out this year as transfers — point guard Will Weathers and forward Flynn Clayman. The Trojans will lose all five starters from this year’s team to graduation.

“We need some guys that will come help us immediately,” Maestri said.