BU senior forward Jake O’Brien has undergone a second ankle surgery and will miss the 2011-2012 season.
Boston University senior forward Jake O’Brien will miss the entire 2011-2012 season following a second surgery on his left ankle, according to sources close to the situation. O’Brien suffered what would eventually be diagnosed as a fractured navicular bone in his left foot, an injury he suffered December 31st in a contest at Umass. The injury, initially diagnosed as a sprained ankle, cost O’Brien the second half of his junior season and he underwent surgery in mid-February. Apparently nagging complications arose from the initial surgery and O’Brien underwent a second operation earlier today.
Losing O’Brien is a tough blow for a Terriers squad looking to repeat last season’s trip to the NCAA tournament. The return of the 6’8” forward with a deft touch and range out to well behind the arc was supposed to supplant some of what the Terriers lost with the graduation of 2011 America East Player of the Year John Holland.
O’Brien’s injury will make the maturation of sophomore power forward Dom Morris that much more critical to BU’s repeat hopes. Morris, a 6’5” tank with 3 point range and an array of low-post moves, showed flashes while earning a place on last season’s All-Rookie Team, but his play was also sporadic. Morris has reportedly lost 10 pounds and the early word from BU is that he has returned to Commonwealth Ave with a newfound work ethic and focus. O’Brien’s injury could also mean more playing time for incoming freshman forward/center James Kennedy. Kennedy, who is listed at 6’6” but is in actuality a bit shorter, is reported to be a super athletic, but super raw, post player with a terrific work ethic and motor, and also is reported to boast the best vertical leap of any Terriers post player since Rashad Bell.
While the blow will hurt BU on the court, it will be perhaps even more profound off it, as O’Brien – a team captain last season – is one of the emotional leaders of the Terriers. Whatever pain the injury means to the Terriers, it pails in comparison to that felt by O’Brien. After watching the Terriers’ run to the NCAA tournament last season from the sidelines in a protective boot, O’Brien reportedly returned to the court working out diligently in an attempt to return to the form which once prompted former BU head coach Patrick Chambers to remark “I think he could be a very, very special player in the history of BU.” Instead he will likely spend another season on the sidelines in street clothes.
It is already being reported that O’Brien is planning to return for a fifth season as a red-shirt senior in 2012-2013, a sentiment which O’Brien appeared to echo on facebook. In a status update posted at 4:42 PM, O’Brien wrote “Just got out of surgery to get this foot right, would give anything to play right now, just didnt work out that way…but i WILL be back and 100% for another season.”
