North Carolina State University Athletics
Sendek: Powell Questionable for Clemson Game
1/31/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2003
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C.-It was a frightening sound for anyone who was sitting near the Comcast Center court on Thursday night. Inadvertently undercut while going up to block a shot late in the second half of NC State's game at Maryland, Wolfpack center Josh Powell went down in a heap, creating a loud thud when his 235-pound body landed on the court. And while it could have been worse, the improving 6-9 sophomore did come away with a painful hip pointer. According to coach Herb Sendek, Powell is questionable for Sunday's home game against Clemson.
Already decimated by injuries to Ilian Evtimov and Jordan Collins this season, NC State's frontline can ill-afford to lose Powell, who has been playing the best basketball of his career over the last three weeks.
"I don't know what it's going to mean," Sendek said when asked what NC State would do if Powell couldn't play on Sunday. "We're going to have to get through today (Friday) and take inventory of our health. We're already a little bit shorthanded up front. We've kind of been that way all season starting with Ilian, and Jordan really hasn't been with us with any kind of continuity. Now to have Josh questionable, I don't know if I'm going to be able to go to the refrigerator and find something in there. We're already thin to begin with and we might need to be even more resourceful."
Collins most recent injury, a sprained ankle sustained at Florida State two weeks ago, has limited his time on the court over the last three games. The 6-10 sophomore played just five minutes in the 15-point loss at Maryland. Evtimov, of course, was lost for the season after tearing a knee ligament in NC State's first exhibition game back in November.
Before limping off the court on Thursday, Powell had given the Wolfpack 12 points and four rebounds against Maryland's huge frontline. Over NC State's last five games, Powell has averaged 13 points per contest.
