Georgia Tech guard Josh Okogie is getting closer to getting cleared to play, and center Ben Lammers’ ankle is feeling better after not practicing or playing on it for eight days.
Tech plays Florida A&M Sunday at McCamish Pavilion, its first game after a layoff for final exams.
Coach Josh Pastner said Friday that the team is going “day by day” with Okogie as he awaits clearance from the team’s medical staff to be cleared after suffering an open dislocation of his left index finger and then an infection in the same finger. Pastner further said that the dislocation has healed and that Okogie was cleared on Wednesday to start conditioning work. He suffered the injury during Tech’s exhibition game against Georgia State October 28.
After the infection, Okogie was prevented from exercising out of a concern of causing an infection through perspiration entering the open wound in his finger. (In an open dislocation like Okogie’s, a wound is opened from the skin to the bone.) As Tech worked out in the Zelnak Basketball Center weight room Friday prior to busing to practice at the Hawks’ new basketball center in Brookhaven (Tech’s practice court was occupied for commencement), Okogie did not have any sort of wrap or bandage on his finger.
Okogie has been involved in some elements of practice and has been doing extra conditioning work with strength and conditioning coach Dan Taylor.
Asked what Okogie needed to do to play, Pastner responded, “One, he’s got to get back in shape. That’s one. Two, it’s seeing what he can do as each goes by.”
Pastner was later asked if Okogie could play prior to the ACC opener against Notre Dame on December 30, a game that Pastner has pointed to for Okogie’s return.
“Josh has got to be all in,” Pastner said. “Once he says ‘I’m ready to go,’ I’m starting him.”
Lammers said the ankle that he sprained in the second game of the season is feeling much better. Since the injury, Lammers’ mobility had been limited, keeping him from playing at top form at both ends of the floor. Friday was to be his first day of practice since the injury. Pastner had held him out of practice since he injured the ankle in the November 19 game against Bethune-Cookman, wanting to save Lammers for games.
“It’s starting to look like a normal ankle, which is positive,” Lammers said.
Pastner said that guard Tadric Jackson was also held out of practice, as he needed time to heal an injury to his Achilles tendon, an injury that had previously been undisclosed.
“We got bit with the injury bug this year a little bit,” Pastner said. “We do have got to get healthy.”
Having Okogie back and Lammers and Jackson healthy would undoubtedly be a boost for the Jackets, who are 4-4 going into the Florida A&M game with bad losses to Grambling State and Wofford. Tech has missed Okogie’s scoring punch, while Lammers’ ankle injury has limited his offensive game. Tech also needs Jackson on the floor, as he is the team’s best finisher.
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