A Grip on Sports: Whether Braden Huff will be able to return and contribute in the NCAA tourney is front and center for most Gonzaga fans

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There is one question that dominates the Spokane basketball scene these days. How is Braden Huff’s injured left knee healing? Mark Few shared an answer Sunday night. It can be condensed down to one word. Slowly.

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• Few, talking with Greg Heister on the coach’s weekly TV show, went into more depth, sure. But the bottom line is Huff, the Zags’ second option in so many ways, is still on crutches. Is halfway through the long estimate of his return. And won’t be back until the end of the eight-week time frame. If then.

The word “hopefully” was used. So were the phrases “who knows” and “we’ll see.”

For the Gonzaga faithful, it isn’t the optimistic scenario they have been seeking.

Understandable. They know Huff is more than just another player. When the Robin to Graham Ike’s Batman is on the court, the Bulldog’s offensive lineup is more efficient. Harder to game plan for – and to guard. Presents more challenges.

His presence also deepens the bench. Allows Few to play bigger lineups. Smaller, quicker ones as well. Lessens the load on Jalen Warley, who has been banged up recently as well.

But Sunday’s statement means Huff’s return won’t allow him to get his sea legs back before the NCAA tourney’s gales strike. If he returns at all.

That last scenario has to be in play, doesn’t it? Few doesn’t sound like he’s sure Huff’s health will allow it. At least four weeks after Huff was injured in practice.

• I have to admit, I’ve fallen out of the habit of watching the NBA All-Star Game. It hasn’t been must-see TV for me since Michael Jordan’s retirement. Heck, I could say the same thing about the regular season since the height of the Warriors’ run. Which means I didn’t make time in my busy Sunday to watch the league’s latest attempt to make the All-Star Game relevant.

But guess what? The NBA may have finally settled on a winning format.

A format many, including myself, have been pushing since the Olympics have become so competitive as to make the U.S. an underdog at times.

The world plays the game. The NBA features stars from all over it. Pitting them together seemed so simple the league would never do it.

Actually, it didn’t. Not in the expected way. The format featured three teams: The World group, which was missing a couple key contributors; an older, more experienced group from the U.S.; and the eventual winning team, the U.S. young guys.

The round-robin short games were – don’t faint – competitive. Played with a fire. To win.

Which means the format will last until some $57-million-a-year player goes down with a season-ending injury one year. But we might as well enjoy it while we can. I may make time for it next year.

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WSU: Around the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner weighs in today in the Mercury News on how BYU’s teams have been treated by some Big 12 fans. Some of the chants make the old days in the WCC seem quaint. … If criticizing your players publicly is grounds for a dismissal with cause because it causes a university embarrassment or ridicule, then many losses are grounds as well. Neither is actually true. … John Canzano empties his notebook. … The Oregon State men had a great chance to move up in the WCC standings, but fell on the road at Seattle U. … Even though Colorado lost at BYU, a couple key players played well. Speaking of the 22nd-ranked Cougars, they lost their second-leading scorer to a season-ending ACL injury. … Utah is not doing well this season but the future might be better. … Arizona State is also struggling in Big 12 play and its next game isn’t any easier. … San Diego State picked up an eventful win Saturday. … The 25th-ranked Washington women got past Oregon in a low-scoring game. … Ten year ago, Oregon State’s team set a bar that others are still trying to reach. … Maybe traveling in the Bay Area is hard for the ACC schools. The ones that actually are based there I mean. … No. 2 UCLA just keeps rolling along. … USC may just have the best freshman in college hoops again. … An Arizona player has decided to leave the sport. … In football news, sometimes you have to parse Deion Sanders’ comments carefully to get to the heart of the statement.

Gonzaga: The Huff question, which Theo Lawson wrote about and I linked above, will linger around the men’s program even after Selection Sunday. As will the Zags win at Santa Clara on Saturday night. Theo has his usual look back at that game in today’s S-R. … The Bulldogs’ connection to the revamped NBA All-Star games? Chet Holmgren. … Colton Clark has a roundup of the first weekend of college baseball. … Back to basketball. Could Gonzaga reemerge in the top 10 after just a week? Some folks don’t think so. … Santa Clara still has NCAA hopes.

EWU and Idaho: The changing nature of college football has filtered down to the FCS level. In a significant way.

Chiefs: One day after losing to Wenatchee at home, Spokane had a chance to avenge the loss on the road. As Dave Nichols tells us, they did, winning 4-2.

Seahawks: The 49ers’ offensive system is well-respected around the NFL. How about Seattle? Certainly. Klint Kubiak, who helped key the Super Bowl run, had the Kyle Shanahan linage. So does his successor at offensive coordinator. Mike Macdonald tabbed Brian Fleury to fill the spot opened when Kubiak moved on to the Raiders as head coach. Fleury has been San Francisco’s run-game coordinator and tight ends coach for a while.

Mariners: Bryan Woo wasn’t healthy for much of the stretch run last season. Which explains quite a bit about his decision not to pitch in the World Baseball Classic. … The M’s have more pitching prospects in the pipeline. … What is about the MLB? Every step forward is accompanied by a step back.

Sounders: Seattle finished up its preseason with two successful friendlies against Louisville FC.

NASCAR: The Daytona 500 is the pinnacle. Often referred to as NASCAR’s Super Bowl. Which makes Tyler Reddick’s last-lap charge something akin to a late touchdown drive. But that’s not the other-sport analogy dominating the coverage. Not when Reddick’s team is owned by Jordan. The NBA comparisons dominated.

Golf: Collin Morikawa, who grew up in Southern California and played his college golf at UC Berkeley, painted his comeback picture at California’s most-picturesque course, Pebble Beach.

Olympics: The U.S. men’s hockey team played better in a convincing win over Germany. 

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• I can’t tell you how many times in the past few days I’ve been asked about Huff. Not just online. Or in emails. But at the grocery store. At basketball games. At the gym. Well, not that last one. But if I ever did go to a gym, I’m sure I would be asked. Until later …