It’s been a tough week for Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell.
First, the 42-year-old former UConn player ruptured his Achilles playing pickup hoops on Saturday.
``I wasn't even making a cut," said an upbeat Pikiell, who had surgery later that night. ``It was bizarre."
But that didn’t compare to the news Pikiell got days later when his best player and America East Player of the Year candidate Tommy Brenton dislocated his knee.
``It’s been a bad week for Stony Brook basketball,” Pikiell said. ``My injury doesn’t matter. I can deal with that. Better me than one of my players.”
Pikiell said there’s no timetable for Brenton’s return to the court, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of Brenton missing the entire season, either.
``No time soon,” Pikiell said of his junior’s return.
The 6-foot-5 Brenton only averaged 7.6 points per game a year ago, but has led the league in rebounding each of the past two seasons and was a key cog for a team expected to contend for the league championship.
Pikiell has performed one of the most impressive turnarounds in the country over the past few years in taking a downtrodden program and turned it into a serious postseason contender.
Despite losing leading scorer Muhammad El-Amin (16.7 ppg), Pikiell and the Seawolves returned everyone else – eight of their top nine players.
But now Pikiell will have to adjust with the loss of perhaps his most indispensible player.
``We have other guys, but I knew what I had with Tommy,” Pikiell said. ``Now the puzzle’s a little different.”
Pikiell has three returning starters: point guard Bryan Dougher (13.8 ppg), the lone senior on the team, shooting guard Chris Martin (10.8) and big man Dallis Joyner (8.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg).
But now, in addition to finding a replacement for El-Amin, he’ll need to find one at the four-spot.
The options are junior college big man Al Rapier, redshirt freshman Eric McAlister, junior Danny Carter and 6-foot-9 Philadelphia native Anthony Mayo – a late signee.
Don’t be surprised to see freshman guard Dave Coley out of New York get a chance to crack the starting lineup due to his ability to put points on the board.
``Someone else will get an opportunity,” Pikiell said. ``I like to bring guys along slowly, but now that won’t be the case.”
If the injury to Brenton had occurred a few years ago, there’s no chance Stony Brook could withstand the hit.
But now Pikiell, who is hopeful to get out of his own cast tomorrow, still feels as though his team can still compete with anyone in the league.
``It’s just another obstacle for us,” Pikiell said. ``But we’ll get through it.”
