Bisons’ Hildebrandt sidelined with ankle sprain

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This article was published 06/02/2024 (959 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

University of Manitoba men’s basketball coach Kirby Schepp is coming off a very rough weekend.

First, his Bisons dropped both ends of a crucial home-and-home series with the Winnipeg Wesmen to damage their hopes of a top-four regular-season finish and a first-round bye at the upcoming Canada West playoff tournament.

Second, and probably more troubling, was an injury suffered by star forward Simon Hildebrandt in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 88-78 loss to the Wesmen at Investors Group Athletic Centre.

Hildebrandt, last season’s U Sports rookie of the year, went down with a sprained left ankle and did not return to the game.

“A few four-letter words come into your head,” joked Schepp Tuesday afternoon. “And then you just move on. I’m just coaching the game (at that moment). I’ll deal with Simon afterwards… We’ve got a great staff of therapists and trainers who are working on him now and they’ll do their best to get him back.”

Hildebrandt had to be helped off the court but his condition seems to have improved. He no longer requires crutches and could be active for Manitoba’s final regular-season series Friday and Saturday against the UBC Okanagan Heat.

“I’ll try to play this weekend but we’ll just kind of take it day-by-day and see how it goes,” said Hildebrandt.

Added Schepp: “He’ll be back, we just don’t know when. The original (prognosis) was maybe two to three weeks, but I’m hoping sooner. So we’ll see. He’s gonna work on it every day and see how it goes.”

Hildebrandt suffered a similar injury to the same ankle at mid-season without missing any game action.

“I rolled my ankle pretty bad over the Christmas break,” said Hildebrandt. “It just kind of felt the same way (Saturday). I was a little worried at first but we have great people in our athletic clinic to look after me. I just tried to keep positive thoughts and I’ll do whatever I can to be back as fast as I can.”

The Bisons should be capable of sweeping the Heat, which is currently 6-12 and below the playoff line. UBC Okanagan, needs a sweep to secure a playoff berth.

Manitoba, now 11-7, still holds down the fourth playoff seed based on its ratings percentage index (RPI), which is still superior to 13-5 Winnipeg.

The Wesmen, who currently hold down the fifth seed under a complex system that considers strength of schedule, could rise to as high as the No. 2 with a road sweep of the No. 3 Regina Cougars.

The top 12 teams in the conference qualify for the Canada West tournament to be held at IGAC, Feb. 21-25. At the moment, the Victoria Vikes and Calgary Dinos hold down the first and second seeds, respectively, with the Brandon Bobcats at No. 9.

“Lots can happen there,” said Schepp. “It’s not just (the Wesmen), it’s the whole league. Your record factors into the RPI, your opponent’s record and your opponent’s opponent’s record.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca