The expected bad news regarding Mike Scott’s injured left ankle was confirmed Monday. The 6-8 senior will miss the remainder of the 2010-2011 season due to the need for a second operation on the ankle.
Scott, who leads Virginia in scoring (15.9 points per game) and rebounding (10.2 rebounds per game), had arthroscopic surgery on Dec. 16 to remove loose pieces of cartilage from the ankle. He returned to play just a week later, scoring 12 points and pulling down eight rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench in UVa.’s 59-53 loss to Seattle.
The ankle gave him problems in practice the following week, and he has not returned to the court since as Virginia has split four games in his absence, including a 62-56 loss to North Carolina on Saturday.
The second surgery will focus on the issues with cartilage and impinging bone spurs in the ankle. Scott will be expected to return to full physical activity in three to four months.
“Obviously we are going to miss having Mike on the court, but the most important consideration is what’s best for him,” Virginia head coach Tony Bennett said. “He will have the operation and focus on taking care of rehabilitating his ankle. In his absence all of our players will need to continue to step up and our young frontcourt players will continue to gain valuable experience.”
It is expected that the paperwork necessary to request a medical hardship enabling Scott to retain a year of eligibility will be filed.
Story by Chris Graham. More UVa. sports at VaSportsOnline.com.
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