Comeback could arrive sooner than expected for CU Buffs guard Javon Ruffin – The Denver Post

The uncertain status of injured redshirt freshman RJ Smith has trimmed the backcourt depth of the Colorado men’s basketball team.

A possible reinforcement might be on the way from an unexpected source.

Injured guard Javon Ruffin recently returned to practice in a non-contact capacity, and if his rapid recovery from offseason knee surgery continues unabated, he could be in the mix down the stretch for the Buffaloes.

“He can do all the non-contact stuff right now,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “He can run. He can do 5-on-0. He can do shooting. And he looks good. I hope we can get him back this year. We’ll see. I’m cautiously optimistic about it. But I have no time frame. It’s not going to be anything imminent.”

Ruffin is a versatile 6-foot-5 guard with the potential to be one of the top 3-point shooters on a team off to a hot start from the arc. But Ruffin’s CU career has been marked by persistent trouble with his right knee.

Injured at the end of his high school career, Ruffin endured surgery in the late spring of 2021 and went through another minor procedure in the fall of his freshman season at CU, ultimately redshirting.

Ruffin returned last year and played in 24 games (two starts), posting 6.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in an average of 14.6 minutes per game. He shot .358 on 3-pointers, ranking second on the team behind Tristan da Silva (.394). The knee pain, however, never completely went away. Ruffin missed four games in January and, after returning to the rotation for five games, Ruffin’s knee sidelined him for the final seven games. Adding to Ruffin’s frustration was that his only two back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts of the season occurred in the final two games before each of his trips to the injured list.

Ruffin endured further knee surgery after the season, and both Boyle and Ruffin said last summer that he did not plan to play in 2023-24. However, Ruffin’s recovery has progressed ahead of the initial prognosis, leaving the door open to a return at some point during Pac-12 play.

“I think I just got to the point where my body was feeling good,” Ruffin said. “And then a lot of it was mental, once I felt comfortable. It’s healing well and better than expected. With all that and hearing good stuff from the doctors, and feeling good, it gave me some confidence to try to step back out there.

“Honestly, for the most part, I’d say it feels better than at any other time that I’ve been here.”

Ruffin still has not been cleared for full-contact workouts, so any potential comeback likely will not happen as soon as CU’s Pac-12 opener at home against Washington on Friday (7 p.m., ESPNU). And once he is cleared, it remains to be seen how Ruffin might fit into the rotation.

With CU’s offense rolling and Cody Williams expected back in the near future from a wrist injury that has kept him sidelined the past three games, it is unlikely a huge reserve role will be available. However, Smith averaged about 12 backcourt minutes off the bench through the first seven games, and a similar role could be available for either Ruffin or Smith.

Smith has missed the past four games due to a lower leg issue, and Boyle said this past week further clarity on Smith’s status won’t be available until after the holidays.

Regardless, even having the opportunity to return has left Ruffin in an appreciative mood for the holidays.

“Injuries are hard. Having so many back-to-back, it’s been since high school since I could really play without pain. That’s been really hard mentally,” Ruffin said. “Since we planned on coming back next season and stuff, and now I have a chance, it gives me a lot of hope that this is what we needed to really get me out there. It just feels good to do what I love in full.”

FOLLOW US ON GOOGLE NEWS

Read original article here

Denial of responsibility! Chronicles Live is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials, please contact us by email – chronicleslive.com. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.

Leave a Comment