Whitey's World

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Scott to Start, Zeglinski to Redshirt?

Virginia big men Ryan Pettinella and Lars Mikalauskas will not play in tonight’s game against Hampton, according to a source close to the basketball program.
Pettinella has a shin injury that has prevented him from practicing the last two weeks. Mikalauskas has a balky shoulder that pops in and out of place and won’t be 100 percent until he can undergo surgery in the offseason.
The duo’s absence opens the door for freshman Mike Scott or sophomore Jerome Meyinsse. One of the two will likely be in the starting lineup.
If I had to guess which one, I’d go with Scott. In limited minutes this season, he has shown a greater knack for rebounding than Meyinsse. That’s one of the main things Virginia coach Dave Leitao wants in his big people.
Meyinsse is more of a 5-man than Scott, but Hampton doesn’t have a real inside presence, so Leitao can probably get away with Scott.
Freshman point guard Sammy Zeglinski is also out for tonight’s game, and probably for the foreseeable future after respraining his ankle in a recent practice. I kind of have a hunch he may be looking to take a medical redshirt this season. Really, I think that would be a great idea. The redshirt would allow Zeglinski to completely recover, acclimate to college life and come back at 100 percent next year. With Jeff Jones, Calvin Baker and Mustapha Farrakhan in the fold, Virginia has more than enough depth at guard anyway.