Injury situation improving for Zags as opener approaches

The injury situation on the Gonzaga University men’s basketball team seems to be improving, according to Bulldogs coach Mark Few.

But there is still a good chance only one of the three players who missed last weekend’s 81-36 exhibition rout of UC San Diego will be available for Saturday’s 5 p.m. season opener against Idaho in McCarthey Athetic Center.

Few said he expects sophomore guard Pierre Marie Altidor-Cespedes, who missed the Zags’ final exhibition Saturday with tendonitis in his foot, to play against the Vandals. But the status of senior guard Erroll Knight and redshirt freshman forward Josh Heytvelt remains uncertain.

The 6-foot-11 Heytvelt, who has been hobbled all fall by a stress reaction in his left foot, was expected to practice on a limited basis Monday for the first time in more than two weeks.

“He’ll probably only go for 10 or 15 minutes,” Few said before the workout, “then we’ll have to wait and see.”

Heytvelt tried practicing for the first time this fall a couple weeks ago, but the soreness in his foot – which could still result in a stress fracture – flared back up.

“He’s got to get to where he’s practicing,” Few said, when asked what it would take for him to consider using Heytvelt on Friday, “and he hasn’t practiced (all out) yet.”

Knight’s situation is even more tenuous. The 6-7 defensive standout underwent athroscopic surgery to repair frayed cartilage in his bothersome left knee last Monday.

When asked if he thought Knight might be cleared to play against Idaho, Few said, “I don’t think so. Erroll’s chomping at the bit, but he just got scoped a week ago today.”

Knight’s injury has apparently altered the playing status of freshman guard Larry Gurganious, as well. The Bulldogs had considered redshirting the 6-5 rookie from Berkeley, Calif., who started on the wing in Saturday’s exhibition finale against UCSD.

“But now, with Erroll’s injury, I don’t see that happening,” Few said.

It also appears there will be little chance freshman combo guard Jeremy Pargo will redshirt, either. That means the Bulldogs could have as many as seven players – Derek Raivio, Adam Morrison, Nathan Doudney, Knight, Altidor-Cespedes, Pargo and Gurganious – looking for minutes at only three positions on the perimeter once Knight returns.