OSU men's basketball notebook: Cowboys dealing with injuries

BY JOHN HELSLEY, Staff Writer, jhelsley@opubco.com Comments 0
Published: November 3, 2009

OSU coach Travis Ford said this has been a preseason like no other when it comes to ailments and injuries.

Just as starting forward Marshall Moses returned from a wrist injury, backups Teeng Akol and Nick Sidorakis have been lost indefinitely. Akol, who was making a move for playing time, broke his right wrist. Sidorakis, whom Ford called his sixth man, strained the patella tendon in his right knee.

Suddenly, a deep roster has taken a hit.

"We had depth,” Ford said. "We’ve lost a lot of the depth lately.

"These two guys were in our top eight. I was very solid with nine guys. We’re going to need some of these other guys to step up and play.”

MOSES IMPROVING

Moses spent most of a month in a full-arm cast intended to keep his wrist immobilized, after a freak injury suffered when he got tangled up with Akol battling for a rebound.

"I had never had an injury like that before,” Moses said. "I was scared out of my mind.”

He’s back and practicing, although still wearing protection on his right (non-shooting) wrist.

"That’s the good thing,” Moses said. "I can still use the left.

"It’s coming along well. We had a scrimmage last night; didn’t bother me at all.”

EXHIBITION SET FOR 7 P.M.

OSU’s opening exhibition against Central Oklahoma is set for 7 p.m. Saturday.

The time had been uncertain, while the school waited for kickoff to be set for the Cowboys game at Iowa State.

NOT SHY

Point guard Ray Penn, a true freshman from Houston, is bidding to seize the starting job.

Despite his age, Penn said he’s ready for the role and ready to lead.

"I feel very comfortable,” Penn said. "I’m a ballplayer. When I’m out there on that court, I’m not a freshman, I’m a player just like anybody else. I’m here on a scholarship, just like anybody else.

"I’m trying to get to where everybody else is trying to get.”