If you’re looking for the list of injured Drake men’s basketball blue-white scrimmage players to watch, then you’ve come to the right place. Below we’ve included Connor Gholson, Impact Hemphill, Issa Samake, and Pete Massaro. Read on to learn about their status and potential future roles.
Connor Gholson injured in scrimmage
Connor Gholson, a redshirt junior on the Drake mens basketball team, was injured in a scrimmage on Wednesday. The injury was not life-threatening, but it did put his career on hold. The Drake Bulldogs opened the season with a 98-52 win over Buena Vista. Nick Norton led the way with 20 points and made three of four three-point attempts. He also pulled down seven rebounds and disheveled five assists. Noah Thomas had 15 points and Liam Robbins added 16. Tremell Murphy chipped in with 14 points and eight rebounds. Anthony Murphy chipped in with 12 points and dished out three assists.
Bradley led 24-17 at the half, and Terry Roberts hit a jumper for a five-point play. During a Drake timeout, Gholson was assessed with an apparent knee injury. The next time Drake was down, they blew it out with a 61-47 win over Illinois State. With a scrimmage like this, the Blue Devils are not a team to be taken lightly.
The Drake men’s basketball team has made progress since Darian DeVries was named head coach. The Bulldogs have posted two consecutive seasons of 20-plus wins. Last season, the team set the bar even higher by winning the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 50 years. The Drake Bulldogs were selected as the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference poll, voted on by the league coaches, sports information directors, and media.
Impact Hemphill
The last time the Blue Devils had Impact Hemphill in the lineup, they sat him out for precautionary reasons. He will probably not be available for the Bradley game on Wednesday. However, the Blue Devils will get a good idea of how much time they have left with Hemphill before the NCAA Tournament. Hemphill underwent foot surgery on Feb. 12 and had been expected to be out for a month or so.
Hemphill has been a key contributor for Drake this season, starting all 13 games. However, he missed four games in the mid-season and only played three minutes against Chicago State. Then, Drake turned to a larger lineup with Darnell Brodie, who played well against the Bears. The Blue Devils could make a lineup change if Hemphill continues to miss time.
One player to keep an eye on is Tremell Murphy, who averaged 10.1 points and 5.2 rebounds last season. He also shot 37.1% from three, so he is worth watching. At Omaha, he was a two-time captain. Despite his recent injuries, he is a top-notch prospect. The Blue Devils will be desperate to find a way to use his potential.
Hemphill’s absence is a big blow for the Blue Devils. Hemphill was one of the best bigs in the league last year and is likely to be missed for the rest of the season. Despite losing Hemphill and Penn, the Bulldogs still managed to reach the NCAA tournament without either of these two key players.
Issa Samake injured in scrimmage
Drake’s men’s basketball team was forced to play without sophomore guard Issa Samake on Thursday due to a torn ACL. Samake tore his ACL during summer workouts. He averaged 9.5 points per game and racked up 58 rebounds and 13 blocks last season. Drake is without a starting guard after losing six-man Joseph Yesufu to transfer to Kansas. The Shockers’ starting lineup was healthy, but one key player was injured during a scrimmage. Samake’s injury will likely sideline him for the remainder of the season, a key time in the year for the Bulldogs.
The injury happened in the fourth quarter of Drake’s scrimmage against UTSA. The game began as a solid showing from both the newcomers and the veterans. The score would reset after every quarter. The team that scored more points at the start of each quarter would eventually take the lead. That was not the case in the first matchup.
Despite the injury to Samake, Drake’s men’s basketball team is on an upward trend since Darian DeVries took over as head coach. The Bulldogs posted back-to-back 20-win seasons his first two seasons. Then, they set the bar last year when they made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 50 years. The team is now the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference poll, which is determined by league coaches, sports information directors, and media.
Pete Massaro injured in scrimmage
The Duke mens basketball team was slated to scrimmage this weekend, but last Friday’s practice ended in tragedy for the Hawks. Freshman defensive end Pete Massaro tore his left ACL during practice. Massaro is slated to have reconstructive surgery on his knee within the next two weeks. Massaro will be out for nine months. Drake’s defense has been a weakness in recent years, and his absence will be a major loss.
The scrimmage ended without a whistle, but the resulting chaos sent the team’s scrimmage to overtime. Drake, averaging nearly 13 points per game, has been battling injuries all season long. Drake’s injury came during a non-contact drill. Massaro will miss the rest of spring drills, and his status for the fall remains uncertain. But he’ll still be eligible to play next season. In general, the NCAA will grant a medical hardship to a player who needs to sit out a season or two. The team’s injury has been an important one for Drake.
If this was the first time since a player has been suspended from the team, the situation could be even worse. The Blue-White game will give Penn State its first look at real football, and there are plenty of storylines. The quarterback’s first snap will be key, and the offensive line’s ability to block will be tested. On defense, the Blue-White game will give Penn State the opportunity to show off its defense, which can be crucial if the team is to compete in the NCAA.
