Kent Brockman
Years ago
Ben Arkell to replace J Will?
Boti has come up with a name that none of us on the board have thought of as a free agent.
Basketball: Injury woes leave Sixers short
By BOTI NAGY
28dec04
ADELAIDE'S hope of regaining back-up point guard Jason Williams from injury crashed at practice yesterday, the veteran likely to miss at least the team's next four NBL games.
Williams, 29 and 196cm, was confident at the weekend he would return to the line-up for tomorrow night's Philips Championship season-series decider against the full-strength Wildcats in Perth.
The 163-game playmaker has been missing from the line-up since Adelaide's 104-93 win over Hunter on December 12 after aggravating a foot injury during a Metro League match with Sturt two days later.
Williams had off-season foot surgery which required insertion of a screw into his foot but made it onto Adelaide's roster as an under-rated but invaluable back-up in the guard rotation.
With captain Brett Maher battling to overcome back, thumb and calf injuries over the past month, Williams' additional absence has been pronounced.
Adelaide's guard options are Maher and Willie Farley as arguably the NBL's top 1-2 backcourt punch, with bench support from Darren Ng, Williams and Mark Nash.
But Nash has been out all season with a back injury that not only has ruled him out for the year but thrown a question-mark over his playing future.
Williams' injury could not have come at a less convenient time.
"Jason won't go to Perth and he'll miss on Friday against Sydney," 36ers coach Phil Smyth said. "In all likelihood he won't make it back for the next four games."
After tomorrow night's match in Perth, the 36ers are at home to reigning champion and league-leader Sydney on Friday, away to Brisbane on Wednesday week and Hunter on Saturday week.
Williams had been making a steady recovery and was confident he would be back in uniform this week.
"It looked good but at training today, he was struggling," Smyth said last night. "He finished up dropping out halfway through and in some pain."
Smyth said the club's financial difficulties made it unlikely Adelaide could snap up a free agent such as a Ben Arkell to fill the breach.
"We're going to be doing it with smoke and mirrors," he said. "The good news is Mahersy is healthy and everyone else is good."
No-one can ask for much more
