Stress fracture delays ex-Bison Hildebrandt’s NCAA debut

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This article was published 01/11/2024 (339 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Simon Hildebrandt’s NCAA basketball debut has been delayed and this time the circumstances have nothing to do with American eligibility rules.

The 21-year-old Winnipegger, who transferred from the University of Manitoba to High Point University in North Carolina in August, was sidelined by a stress fracture in his left foot a week ago.

He could miss up to an additional month while he rehabs the injury. Hildebrandt expects to be in a walking boot for the next three weeks.

“At first I just thought it was just sore because I was playing a lot and I didn’t really think much of it,” said Hildebrandt by phone from High Point, N.C., Friday afternoon. “It kept bothering me. Eventually it got to a point where it was actually starting to hurt and I thought there was something actually wrong with it. Then we kind of got it looked at a little bit closer.”

The 6-9 forward, a two-time Canada West first-team all-star while with the Bisons, did not play in High Point’s pre-season opener, a 71-56 road win over East Tennessee State on Wednesday, but has received encouraging news about his NCAA eligibility after playing for the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Winnipeg Sea Bears during the summers of 2023 and 2024.

Under previous restrictions, Hildebrandt would be ineligible for the NCAA after playing in a professional league. However, he was recently cleared for the 2024-25 season, yet his future eligibility could still be under review.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure long term, but I’m 100 per cent clear to play this year,” said Hildebrandt. “My coach told me… the rules that I was in violation of were under consideration… I’m not exactly sure about the wording but (the NCAA) didn’t want to suspend me on rules that were going to be overturned.”

Furthermore, Hildebrandt is uncertain if he will be able to play for the Sea Bears in 2025.

“I would say it’s unlikely,” said Hildebrandt. “I know that (Sea Bears GM and head coach) Mike Taylor and the CEBL people were kind of working with the NCAA and CEBL to try to make it possible. But I think if something’s gonna happen where Canadian Division I athletes can play in the CEBL, it would be likely be a couple years down the road.”

While he’s in the walking boot, the extent of Hildebrandt’s training will be in the swimming pool or on an exercise bike or anti-gravity treadmill.

“I’m trying trying to stay positive through it all and doing my best kind of help my teammates off the floor,” said Hildebrandt. “I just want to see what I can learn from the situation. Sometimes, you can get the advantage of just being able to watch the first couple games of the year and see how everything’s moving and look at things from a different perspective.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca