Montana Grizzlies Lose Will Cherry Again

The Montana Grizzlies are on the right track to getting the Big Sky conference automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, having lost just one conference game so far this season.
But what coach Wayne Tinkle feared has come true- he's lost one of his best players to injuries, again.
The Grizzlies learned Sunday that their point guard Will Cherry will be out the rest of the season with a broken right foot. Cherry had already missed the first two months of the season with a broken right foot.
It appears he aggravated the injury with five minutes left in Saturday's game against Davidson when he pulled up lame, favoring the right foot. He was on the bench icing the foot the rest of the game.
After the game coach Tinkle said, "That's what he says, but obviously we won't know anything until we get an X-ray. He said it feels the same, but who knows? Obviously, if that's true, it's not a good thing."
The Grizzlies were already without Mathias Ward, who sprained the arch in his foot last Tuesday. Ward watched helplessly from the sidelines Saturday as Davidson power forward Jake Cohen scored 28 points.
Tinkle is concerned about his team's NCAA tournament prospects moving forward. "We have some concerns moving forward, with both Will's and Mathias' injuries. The rest of the guys are going to have to step up. The guys who didn't play too smart are going to have to play smarter. The guys who didn't play tough are going to have to play tougher. If our guys can commit to that then we can continue to build and finish this thing off right."
Cherry, a senior, averaged 13.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He's also one of the most underrated players in the country, is a good perimeter defender with solid back court play. When teamed up with Kareem Jamar, they provide the Grizzlies with a back court that can compete with any team.
With the NCAA tournament coming up soon, players need to take good care of themselves off the court and on the court. Everyone wants to win the big title, but when you're injured there's little you can do to steer your team to victory.
If you are a basketball player and have a foot problem, call our Newington, Kensington, or Middletown office to make an appointment.

Craig M. Kaufman, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Sports Medicine Podiatrist in CT
Podiatrist in Newington
Visit our website, like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter. 

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Montana's Will Cherry Out With Broken Foot

Another word of warning: Be careful and cautious even when not in a real-time game situation!

Montana guard and star player Will Cherry broke his foot in a pickup game last week and will miss the first part of the season. Cherry was likely to be the Big Sky preseason player of the year.

Cherry, at 6 feet 1 inch and 177 pounds is from Oakland, CA, was a first-team All-Big Sky selection last season after averaging 15.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. He had hoped to follow in the footsteps of friend and former Big Sky foe Damian Lillard, a two-time Big Sky player of the year who was the number six pick in June's NBA draft. 

Cherry will now have to wait to impress NBA scouts until his broken foot heals, which can take several months. "At this point we are not sure how long he will be out, but are hoping that he can return in late November," Montana associate director Dave Guffey wrote in an e-mail to USA Today Sports. 

The Grizzlies play six games in November, and don't start conference play until December 19th. Montana coach Wayne Tinkle told CBSSports.com he expects sophomores Keron DeShields and Jordan Gregory to fill in for Cherry while he's out. Tinkle can't talk about the specifics of the injury, but did say that the junior won't need surgery on his foot. 

Cherry is one of the elite perimeter defenders in the nation and has worked on his offensive game recently. "Will's the quintessential kid who just does whatever it takes to win. He always guards the best player and makes plays for himself and his teammates. He's the ultimate competitor," said Tinkle.

If you are are suffering from a basketball related foot injury, call our Newington, Kensington, or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Craig M. Kaufman, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Sports Podiatrist in CT
Podiatrist in Newington, Kensington, and Middletown, CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow my tweets on Twitter.