John Petty updates his status heading into Alabama’s regular-season finale
By SDS Staff
Published:
Good news Alabama fans, John Petty is ready to return to the court.
The junior guard last suited up against Mississippi State back on Feb. 25 but an elbow injury sidelined him for much of that contest, as well as Alabama’s matchups against South Carolina and Vanderbilt that followed the MSU game.
Last week, Nate Oats expressed his belief that Petty could return soon but would not play against South Carolina.
“He’s got a hyperextension, slight ligament strain. No live activity in practice,” Oats said last Friday leading up to Alabama’s win over South Carolina. “He’s getting better every day, had two good days of therapy or rehab, whatever you want to call it, but we’ll just evaluate day-to-day. Highly unlikely for tomorrow, unless there’s a miraculous recovery overnight. I don’t think he’s playing tomorrow.”
Turns out, Oats was on the money as Petty missed the next two Crimson Tide games but the junior said he will play in Alabama’s regular season finale.
“We dodged a huge bullet,” Petty said according to Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News. “When it happened, I thought it was broken.”
Fortunately, the injury was not as bad as Petty feared and he will be back to knock off some rust before Alabama heads to Nashville for the 2020 SEC Tournament.
Petty is averaging 15 points per game and 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Tide. Petty ranks second on the team in points per game and first in rebounds per contest.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
