Hendrickson Says No Go Cougar Star’s Return To Lineup Delayed Until After Washington Game

Earlier reports that Mark Hendrickson’s broken hand might mend in time for next weekend’s showdown against archrival Washington now seem to have been overly optimistic.

Hendrickson said Tuesday he sees no way he can be ready for Washington State’s Jan. 21 game against the Huskies in Seattle.

“I’d have to be able to do stuff, like some light shooting and passing, this week and then maybe get a couple of good practices in the next week before I could (play against UW),” explained the 6-foot-9 senior, who broke the fifth metacarpal just above his left wrist in a 90-74 win over San Jose State on Dec. 27.

“Until I can start doing that, I’m at least a week away and I can’t even do that right now. It’s going to take awhile.”

Hendrickson was dressed for practice Tuesday morning, but spent all of his time running sprints and riding a stationary exercise bicycle under the supervision of team trainer Bill Drake.

Cougar coach Kevin Eastman said Hendrickson will probably travel with the team to Oregon this weekend but will not play in either Thursday night’s game at Oregon or Saturday’s game at Oregon State.

“He won’t be playing now until after the Washington game,” added Eastman, who had originally held out hope that his team’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer might be ready for the Huskies.

“Fractures take at least four weeks to heal, so four weeks would put him back the Wednesday (Jan. 24) before the California-Stanford series.”

Hendrickson, a left-handed shooter and left-handed pitcher on the Cougars baseball team, has worked at bouncing a soft basketball-sized ball, but he still has his entire left wrist immobilized to protect the fracture.

WSU, 7-3 overall, is 1-2 in the three games Hendrickson has missed. The Cougars opened Pacific-10 Conference play last week by losing home games to UCLA and Southern California.

“We won’t allow him to rush back,” Eastman promised. “I’d just as soon lose seven in a row. He’s got a future to protect, too. It’s not only about what he does for Washington State. He’s got to prepare himself for whichever sport he ends up playing professionally.”

, DataTimes