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Ater Majok will be worked into UConn practices on a limited basis. He practiced for the first time Thursday since sustaining a stress fracture of the left tibia a few weeks ago. Majok was to practice 45 minutes, with his workload increasing by the day.
Majok won't be eligible to play until December, so UConn might limit how much he is involved.
"I would have prefered, by today if he didn't have the stress fracture, that I would have had him do everything in the first 10 practices in the regular rotation, then ween him out," coach Jim Calhoun said. "Once we get to games, we won't have time enough to spend as much time with him."
Until UConn gets Majok in uniform, the Huskies will be shorthanded up front with Alex Oriakhi, Gavin Edwards and Charles Okwandu handling the duties. Right now, Stanley Robinson leads the team in blocked shots in practice -- and that's not a good thing.
"We could have a lineup, theoretically, of Gavin, Stanley, Jamal Coombs and two guards -- small and slight," Calhoun said. "When we get Ater back after the first nine games, then we have some legitimate size again. But right now, that's a concern of ours. If we get into a game with LSU, get into a game with whoever it might be, and we run into a size issue, that's going to be a problem. As it plays its way out, you start thinking and preparing for the things that can happen -- injuries, foul situation -- that's one reason we've put the press in."
Asked about tempo, Calhoun said, "I don't know if we can get into a 50-shot game. I think it's got to be a 60-70 shot game where some of our inexperience won't show and some of our quickness will show."
Majok won't be eligible to play until December, so UConn might limit how much he is involved.
"I would have prefered, by today if he didn't have the stress fracture, that I would have had him do everything in the first 10 practices in the regular rotation, then ween him out," coach Jim Calhoun said. "Once we get to games, we won't have time enough to spend as much time with him."
Until UConn gets Majok in uniform, the Huskies will be shorthanded up front with Alex Oriakhi, Gavin Edwards and Charles Okwandu handling the duties. Right now, Stanley Robinson leads the team in blocked shots in practice -- and that's not a good thing.
"We could have a lineup, theoretically, of Gavin, Stanley, Jamal Coombs and two guards -- small and slight," Calhoun said. "When we get Ater back after the first nine games, then we have some legitimate size again. But right now, that's a concern of ours. If we get into a game with LSU, get into a game with whoever it might be, and we run into a size issue, that's going to be a problem. As it plays its way out, you start thinking and preparing for the things that can happen -- injuries, foul situation -- that's one reason we've put the press in."
Asked about tempo, Calhoun said, "I don't know if we can get into a 50-shot game. I think it's got to be a 60-70 shot game where some of our inexperience won't show and some of our quickness will show."
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Ater Majok, a 6-10 center originally from the Sudan, is practicing with the team and will be eligible to play his first game Dec. 20 against Central Florida.
"At 6-10 with a 7-foot-7 reach, he's going to make a major splash in our league," head coach Jim Calhoun said.
"At 6-10 with a 7-foot-7 reach, he's going to make a major splash in our league," head coach Jim Calhoun said.
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“(Neither) of those guys are natural shot-blockers,” Calhoun added. “Our best shot-blockers are Stanley, one, Gavin, two. When Ater gets eligible, he’s probably our best shot-blocker.”
Ah yes, Ater Majok, the 6-11 forward out of Australia. Once he’s eligible to play, Majok will give the Huskies a long, talented, athletic presence up front. But Majok — who just started practicing after battling a stress fracture in his left tibia — won’t be eligible to play until Dec. 20.
“The best of the five new guys would be Ater right now,” Calhoun said. “He’s only played five days, but he’s very talented — more talented than I thought he was. He doesn’t necessarily know how to play yet. He could desperately need a game like this. There was a time when you could play two exhibition games and sit out the rest of the time.”
Ah yes, Ater Majok, the 6-11 forward out of Australia. Once he’s eligible to play, Majok will give the Huskies a long, talented, athletic presence up front. But Majok — who just started practicing after battling a stress fracture in his left tibia — won’t be eligible to play until Dec. 20.
“The best of the five new guys would be Ater right now,” Calhoun said. “He’s only played five days, but he’s very talented — more talented than I thought he was. He doesn’t necessarily know how to play yet. He could desperately need a game like this. There was a time when you could play two exhibition games and sit out the rest of the time.”
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