CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. | Virginia’s very young basketball team will get a lot more experience than originally planned now that it’s best player has been sidelined for the year.
Coach Tony Bennett announced Monday that scoring and rebounding leader Mike Scott will have a second surgery on his left ankle and miss the remainder of the season. The school said it expects to be granted a medical redshirt that would allow Scott to return next year.
The 6-foot-8 senior, from Chesapeake, averaged 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in 10 games. He also is one of the Cavaliers’ best passers and became the first Virginia player since Ralph Sampson in 1983 to reach double figures in points and rebounds in five straight games.
Scott had loose pieces of cartilage removed from his ankle during the first surgery on Dec. 16. He returned to the lineup for one game, but tweaked the injury in practice.
The second surgery will involve cartilage work and the removal of bone spurs.
Scott’s departure means that Virginia’s roster, more than half of which is made up of freshman, will receive even more playing time, and that’s not all bad, Bennett said.
“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,” Bennett said in a release.
Scott is expected to return to full activity in 3-4 months.
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