{"id":67805,"date":"2023-12-27T18:37:48","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T18:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.courant.com\/?p=6179676"},"modified":"2023-12-27T17:20:53","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T17:20:53","slug":"how-uconn-mens-basketball-will-move-forward-without-donovan-clingan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/27\/how-uconn-mens-basketball-will-move-forward-without-donovan-clingan\/","title":{"rendered":"How UConn men\u2019s basketball will move forward without Donovan Clingan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite being in a boot and khakis, Donovan Clingan<\/a>\u00a0couldn’t help but spend most of UConn’s<\/a> game against St. John’s on his feet.<\/p>\n

In his spot between fellow Bristol native Andre Johnson Jr.<\/a> and program assistant Chris Mastrangelo<\/a>, Clingan consistently encouraged the sold-out crowd, turning and waving his 7-foot-7 wingspan as the noise in the XL Center, at times, grew thunderous.<\/p>\n

When backup Samson Johnson<\/a> threw down a two-handed dunk to tie the game early in the second half, Clingan pointed to his ring finger in celebration and had some words for the Red Storm \u2013 just a reminder. And, when third-stringer Youssouf Singare<\/a> scored the first bucket of his collegiate career \u2013 a layup off a bounce pass from Cam Spencer<\/a> with 13 minutes left \u2013 Clingan extended his arms as if to hold back his teammates, all of them with genuine excitement for the freshman.<\/p>\n

“He’s a great guy and he’s a big personality, but we need his ass on the court,” head coach Dan Hurley<\/a> said after the come-from-behind, 69-65 win.<\/p>\n

The Huskies will have to play the next few weeks without Clingan, who injured a tendon in his right foot during the Big East opener at Seton Hall and was given a 3-4 week timeline for his return on Saturday. The injury, Hurley said, is not related to the foot strain that kept the star sophomore sidelined for about a month heading into the season.<\/p>\n

He had just been nearing 100% health before the latest setback.<\/p>\n

“He’s got to get his weight down over the holidays and over the next couple of weeks so that he doesn’t have any problems with his feet moving forward,” Hurley said and then looked directly into the camera as if he was speaking to Clingan face-to-face: “I know he’s on social \u2013 gotta get into the 270s so that we can have him on the court.<\/p>\n

“It’s tough \u2013 he affects the game like very few players in the country affect the game. Top programs, you lose somebody like Zach Edey<\/a> at Purdue, he has that type of impact for us on both ends of the court. He just changes the game. So, great spirit, great kid, but boot, bad. Travel suit, bad.”<\/p>\n

Edey, the 7-foot-4 center who was the consensus national player of the year last season, is averaging 24 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game as a senior this year. Clingan has shown the potential for that type of production, but the injuries have complicated his start to this season.<\/p>\n

\"The
The UConn bench reacts after a basket by Samson Johnson (35) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against St. John’s, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo\/Michael Dwyer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Without him, much of the pressure falls on Johnson, who answered the bell about as well as he could’ve when he matched up with St. John’s center Joel Soriano<\/a>, another one of the best bigs in the country, in just his second collegiate start on Saturday. Johnson finished with 16 points (7 of 10) and four rebounds, a block and a steal, in 30 minutes \u2013 the Huskies were plus-13 on the scoreboard with him on the floor.<\/p>\n

“I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of a guy stepping in for such a critical piece,” Hurley said. “If he didn’t play like that we had no chance.”<\/p>\n

The biggest concern with Johnson in the lead role is frontcourt depth. Averaging 2.7 fouls per game, Johnson came one whistle shy of fouling out against the Johnnies and has finished with four fouls on five different occasions this year.<\/p>\n

Hurley turned to a smaller lineup with 6-8 forward Alex Karaban at the five for about four minutes in order to manage foul trouble. In that small lineup, Karaban was surrounded by guards Hassan Diarra, Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle and Spencer for six possessions, according to cbbanalytics.com<\/a>. Solo Ball filled in for Castle on two possessions as UConn was minus-four on the scoreboard with its small lineup on the court.<\/p>\n

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Dom Amore: With an effort equal to his name, UConn can celebrate Samson Johnson’s decision to stick around<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n