Injury Updates on Will Cherry and Mathias Ward

Stellar updates from Bob Meseroll on Will Cherry and Mathias Ward, and their upcoming status.

First, Will Cherry:

“It was kind of the same, but it was more when I came down that I heard it pop,” Cherry said. “I instantly thought it broke. There was no way I could have gone back in the game. It was the same exact feeling as when I broke it.”

X-rays on Sunday, though, did not show a break and a more detailed look with a CT scan on Monday confirmed the X-rays.

“They actually said it looked exactly the same as my last checkup. (Jan. 28),” Cherry said.

Cherry said there is no timetable yet for his return.

“That’s a hard call,” Cherry said when asked if he thought he would play for the Griz again. “As of right now I don’t know too much. I haven’t walked an ounce on it since. I want to say I’ll give it a week to see how it’s feeling. Right now it feels as if something’s wrong, but nobody knows what it is. That’s the confusing part and that’s the scary part because I don’t know what the percentages are of me going back out there and this time breaking it.

To me, that sounds like a guy that has probably played his last game in a Montana uniform. That would be more than understandable, especially when dealing with a recurring injury like that. Everyone wants to see Cherry back in a Montana uniform, myself included. But hopefully he doesn't feel any pressure to do anything other than what is best for his future. Knowing what I know of the Montana program, I don't think there will be any pressure placed on Cherry, which is good.

Then, Mathias Ward:

Ward missed Saturday’s overtime loss at Davidson after spraining the arch in his left foot late in a win at Idaho State.

“I just came down on someone’s foot wrong, twisted it and felt something pop,” Ward said Tuesday.

Doctors have told Ward he could possibly recover in time to play in the Big Sky tournament, which begins March 14 in either Missoula or Ogden.

“I’m hoping to come back sooner than that,” Ward said.

This fits basically with what we knew of the injury initially - that Ward was likely out until the tournament, with a chance to come back earlier. It seems as though that is still true.

So in order to keep the top spot, the Grizzlies are going to have to win two road games this weekend without two of their top three players.

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