Brian Lillis injured

[GODANESGO]

I saw Brian Lillis on campus today a bit after 6pm and he has his right ankle in a cast and is on cruches. The cast was well below his knee, so I'm assuming that means an injury to either his ankle or upper foot, as his toes were also showing. While I have no medical experience at all (lol), the cast was not one of those soft casts that you sometimes see with sprains. I would assume that means a brake somewhere.

 

He was moving fairly well with the cruches and didn't look to be in a lot of pain. Not sure if this would be an injury that is recoverable by Nov., but the injury bug looks to have bitten again, at least limiting Brian's practice time in the preseason. I hope we hear some official word about this.

[pool man]

That sucks. Hope it is not serious. He is a very talented player and will be a key this year.

[B9j2j6s]

I would be intrested to know when the injury occured. Also I wonder how this would play with the deep roster we have, would this give more playing time to say Siggers, Johnson, or Bauman. I have to say if Lillis is out for a while it would be unfortunite because he always seemed to bring an energy to the floor, and in a way he was like a quarterback on the basketball court able to make plays and find the open man. I'm not sure how our other guards would fill in, I've never really seen Sigger or Bauman play. I've heard good things about Sigger but I never believe anything I here, and only half of what I see. The only time I saw Bauman in a game was when the game was well in hand so I'm not sure about his full ability and I remember Johnson was more of a defensive player when he played most of the games in the 2003-04 campaign. But who knows maybe everything has worked out for Albany for a reason. I mean not to jink anything but the first injury Jamar goes down for most of a season where we weren't going to be that good and saves himself for the next two years where we seemed ready to shine, then last year Iati went down setting us up to have him for the next three years to come when we can have him with Jordan and Jamal this year, then next year we have him and Jamal at the one and two spot, then with Lillis the year after that. Now as for Lillis I'm not going to speculate how this will work out until we find out more about the injury and see how the season progresses. But again not to sound like some crazy person but its intresting to see how this has all come to be. Also mind you that I find it intresting how Northeastern left this year, and how Vermont and Boston U, are in rebuilding mode.

[Patch]

Lillis, I think is a key player for the Danes this year at 6'5" and 215lbs he was going to add tremendous size to our backcourt and he is a Point Guard (he would probably/hopefully get 15-20minutes at the point and some time at the three) who would allow Coach Brown to get Jamar off the ball for awhile where he can be much more effective as a pure scorer. If Jamar gets a chance to get out on the break he's is volatile.

 

Playing with Jamar and Lucious, Brian would be a tough matchup for other teams. Lets hope he is healthy come official pre-season time and at 100% for our first game.

 

Jamar, Lucious, Iati, Lillis and Siggers seems like or appears to be a powerful backcourt combining penetrators and shooters.

Edited September 7, 2005 by Patch

[McFan]

Let's hope this is something that has a short/full recovery. Outside of Jamar, this is the guy I was looking forward to watching this year. His combination of size, energy, athleticism, and court knowledge is tough to find and great to watch.

 

I fully expected Lillis to be starting by mid-year. Tough to displace proven players but the way he played the second half of last year he would be fighting for a spot. I don't know which or whose spot but somewhere. Or maybe he would be the Kevin McHale of Albany, playing 30+ minutes off of the bench.

[Patch]

McFan - I fully expected Lillis to be starting by mid-year. Tough to displace proven players but the way he played the second half of last year he would be fighting for a spot. I don't know which or whose spot but somewhere. Or maybe he would be the Kevin McHale of Albany, playing 30+ minutes off of the bench.

 

McFan - I totall agree with your sentiments about Lillis. In spite of the other talent on this team he could be the player who is the key to the Danes having there first successful DI season in men's hoops.

[UA66]

Agreed. Lillis impressed me from the first time I saw him in last year's open scrimmage. His talents are not only obvious, but there is something in his character that tells you that he will get better and better. If this injury is serious, it could be a bigger loss than were Jamar or Iati because it comes at a time when this team has the opportunity to do something special.

[WH96]

Anyone know what is going on with Brian, is he still in the cast? Is he out for a long time?

[GODANESGO]

Anyone know what is going on with Brian, is he still in the cast?  Is he out for a long time?

9461[/snapback]

 

Saw him at the Volleyball Tourney this weekend and he still had it on.

[UA66]

Story in today's Times Union on Lillis injury http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story...sdate=9/14/2005

 

Interesting comments by Will Brown. He's projecting Lillis as likely starter this year.

 

Re the injury, it is a stress fracture. Cast will be off on Oct. 12. He's expected to be ready for opener on Nov. 7.

Edited September 14, 2005 by UA66

[Patch]

Brown said Lillis has added 15 pounds to reach 225, and could start this season.

 

UA66 - He's projecting Lillis as likely starter this year.

 

Not likely - could, this year I think we might have about 7 players who could start:

 

Jamar

Lucious

Levi

Zoellner

Iati

Lillis

Brent

 

I haven't seen the new guys play so I didn't put them in the mix yet

 

Covington, Graham, Connelly and Siggers

[UA66]

Oops! Good catch, Patch. My memory transfer processes don't work as well as they used. Anyway, I hope he fully recovers from this stress fracture because I think he could be the key to how far this team goes. The combination of basketball intelligence and energy level supercedes that of anyone on this team.

[Patch]

UA66 - I'm follow your thoughts completely. Brian Lillis is going to be very important to this Dane Team.

 

Tow major reasons his Basketball IQ and Energy oozes out of him and is infectious!

[GODANESGO]

Although it doesn't make too much of a difference if the end result is that he'll have the cast off in mid October and should be ready for the opener, but I heard talk that he is going to have surgery on the foot sometime next week. Not sure what type of surgery stress fractures receive. Any studied medical people out there?

[scottotile]

It really doesnt matter who starts the game, it only matters who finishes the game.