Nova Saturday Bentil or Not?

[wtm97]

Dunk is sold out. Friar fans will be ready...

Will Bentil play?

If he does how effective will he be?

If not, do we have any chance?

All sounds obvious but after our stumble at DePaul is it really?

Ant team can beat any other team in the Big East - right?

Aren't we due for a good game at home?

Thoughts...

[yankeefriar]

Should know more before practice today, when Ed speaks.


By KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

Posted Feb. 3, 2016 at 8:58 PM

PROVIDENCE — There is no word from Friar Town on the health status of star big man Ben Bentil.

Bentil injured his right ankle in a loss at DePaul Tuesday night and was expected to be evaluated Wednesday afternoon. No one associated with the Providence College program had anything to say on Bentil's status but the sophomore was seen leaving Allstate Arena and on campus Wednesday walking without aid of crutches or a mobilization boot.

Head coach Ed Cooley replied via text that he should know more by Thursday when he's scheduled to meet with the media before practice. PC will clearly need Bentil in the lineup for its next game at home Saturday against No. 3 Villanova.

Bentil fell in a heap under his own basket in the first half of the 77-70 loss to DePaul when the Blue Demons' Rashaun Stimage fell into the back of Bentil's knee. He limped off the floor and later returned to action in the half and also played four minutes in the second half before sitting out the final 15 minutes. Bentil finished with six points and no rebounds in 14 minutes and the fact that the Big East's leading scorer left no imprint on the game clearly handicapped PC's chances at grabbing a road win.

“We tried but we don’t want to put our kids in harm’s way,” Cooley said after the game. “He tried to give it a go, so I give him a lot of credit, but he couldn’t go. It’s really sore and swollen. We’ll hope for the best and see what happens.”

—[e-mail]

[thewalk]

I think he plays

[wtm97]

Think Cooley will be cautious and cagey saying today "Day to day - game time decision" in order to throw some game prep uncertainty Jay Wrights way.

*

Unless this is a serious injury, IMO, Bentil will most likely give it a go - question remains as to how effective he can be...

[friar71]

I think he will be a no go. There are a lot of games to play so I would think he would be sore at minimum. and they won't risk the chance that he could make it worse by playing while favoring it. Can't remember what ankle it was he turned the last time but was able to play through it.

[drairf]

What was the game where he surprisingly came out to play? Bryant?

Ben seems like a play through pain/sickness kid, and much tougher than many on the team in that regard. I think he'll be begging Cooley to let him go if the XRay is negative and he can actually run. But sprains can take a while, so the medical staff could say "no".

[yankeefriar]

Ochefu out for Sat...

Mike Hopkins #pcbb @pcbb1917

Word is that Daniel Ochefu will NOT play Saturday against Providence. Should have an update on Ben Bentil's status in a few hours #pcbb

[pcdad]

“We tried but we don’t want to put our kids in harm’s way,” Cooley said after the game. “He tried to give it a go, so I give him a lot of credit, but he couldn’t go. It’s really sore and swollen. We’ll hope for the best and see what happens".

'nuff said... a wise Coach have we.

[drairf]

Jeff Goodman just reported that Bentil is Day-to-Day.

[friar82]

Feb 4, 2016 9:12:35 GMT -5 wtm97 said:

Think Cooley will be cautious and cagey saying today "Day to day - game time decision" in order to throw some game prep uncertainty Jay Wrights way.

*

Unless this is a serious injury, IMO, Bentil will most likely give it a go - question remains as to how effective he can be...

Agreed. I believe it will be couched in a "day to day" context, which is better than being told that he's out.

[drairf]

Feb 4, 2016 12:14:57 GMT -5 drairf said:

Jeff Goodman just reported that Bentil is Day-to-Day.

PC has confirmed day-to-day. Good news.

[wtm97]

Well it is just smart - keep everyone guessing while we hope it is just a sprain and he is like the famous roll the ankle and play master - Boston Celtic Robert "chief" Parish. His ability to come back quickly after ankle twists was truly the stuff of legend. He did this all the time...remember?

Ben has the warrior mentality which is great - let us all hope he also has that gift of a quick recovery physically. The difference between Bentil or no Bentil is obvious;...and even a Bentil at say 75% is huge.

Question is what other 'adjustments' can the staff make to:

1. Mask his limitations while enabling him to score because we need his in close scoring - right?
2. Make Dunn more effective - he MUST adjust and stop trying to do everything himself - hmmmm?
3. Roll out a different look that involves others in flow - could be isolating Fazekas/Bullock/Lindsey on outside; have Albert and Cartwight penetrating, etc.

Ok so don't nit pick on what is listed above just get the point of a need to surprise the Novans with something different...

Then pray we finally have a lights out home game something we really have yet to see this year - agree?

[yankeefriar]

Kevin McNamara @kevinmcnamara33

Ben Bentil to sit out practice Thursday, ankle still 'sore' according to Ed Cooley

[thefriarman]

Hope Nova doesn't have a lights out game like they did last night from "3"

Donnie Mac was another who could recover quickly from those turned ankles.

Bentil hurt his ankle in the BC game. Came off the bench for Bryant when things were not going well as Dunn was also out for that game.

[dex]

“We tried but we don’t want to put our kids in harm’s way,” Cooley said after the game."

I should hope not...the kid has tremendous earning potential.

What coach would deliberately risk a kid's health for the sake of an important win?

Umm...let's just say more than you would think