Alabama Athletics
Alabama Basketball Hopes to get Herbert Jones Back in a Week
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama men's basketball team is hoping to get junior wing Hebert Jones back at some point next week.
As for how much he'll be able to play, and how effective he'll be coming off a fractured wrist are the bigger questions.
"We'll probably bring back well before he's 100 percent," Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats said after Tuesday's practice. "The kid's been wanting to play the whole time, but the left hand is still sore, he can't really do anything with it yet.
"We have to get it to a point where he can at least function: pass, catch, dribble some. Shoot free throws at least."
Oats said he's hopeful Jones might be ready to go in a limited role against Texas A&M at home on Feb. 19, and definitely expects him to play at Ole Miss on Feb. 22.
Jones suffered a fractured wrist against LSU on Jan. 29, requiring surgery. The initial prognosis was that he would be out at least two-and-half weeks, but he's doing everything he can to beat that schedule.
In the meantime, Jones has been working with his right hand and has continued his regular conditioning.
"Once he can practice-practice, we'll probably put him in games," Oats said. "He may be limited. It may be an offense-defense type of deal to start."
Jones is averaging 9.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, but is also the Crimson Tide's best defensive player.
With Alabama already done a couple of players with season-ending injuries, and the NCAA denying an eligibility waiver request from Jahvon Quinerly, who transferred from Villanova in June, it needs every body it can get for the stretch run.
"We're going to be pretty strong," junior wing John Petty Jr. said about learning to play with out Jones. "Hopefully we can get him back healthy, which is coming along really great."
"Hopefully we'll be in a great position to play in the NCAA Tournament when he comes back, and I fell that once he comes back it's going to show the full potential of our team when everyone's healthy and everyone's playing their best basketball."
However, Alabama will definitely be without Jones against two ranked opponents this week, at No. 11 Auburn on Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN2) and No. 25 LSU at Coleman Coliseum on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN2).
They're the last two rankings teams Alabama (13-10, 5-5 SEC) will face before the SEC Tournament on March 11-15.
"The committee has always said that they take injuries into account," Oats said. "We hope they do. We still have to get some quality wins."
