Bourama Sidibe on extra year in Syracuse? ‘I’m going to talk to Coach about it’
Temps de lecture : 2 mn 🕗
Syracuse, N.Y. – Bourama Sidibe will participate in the Senior Night ceremony next week, but there is a chance that the 6-10 center would return to Syracuse next year.
In an interview ahead of SU’s final home games of the season, Sidibe was non-committal on his future plans. However, he was open to the possibility of coming back to Syracuse for a fifth season.
Prior to the current season, the NCAA granted all student-athletes an extra year of eligibility in light of the coronavirus pandemic that has altered the college sports landscape over the past year. The NCAA has stated that any senior who decides to return to his or her school will not count toward the team’s scholarship limit.
“I think that’s a great plan,’’ Sidibe said. “I’d always love to play again. That’s something that I’ve got to get healthy and then at the end of the season talk to Coach (Jim Boeheim) about. Me and Coach have got to talk about it and see how it’s going to go. It’s not that I haven’t made a decision in my mind yet, but after the season, probably a couple weeks or whatever, I’m going to talk to Coach about it, so we’ll go from there.’’
Sidibe, who started every game as a junior, has played just 15 minutes this season after suffering a knee injury in SU’s season-opener against Bryant on Nov. 27.
He was initially expected to be out for just four weeks but soreness in the knee delayed his return.
He played 11 minutes off the bench in Syracuse’s loss at Clemson on Feb. 12. After the game, however, he again experienced soreness.
He hasn’t played since, and it’s doubtful that he will play for the remainder of the season.
Sidibe said he is focusing more on his recovery than he is on the future. He said once he’s healthy, he’ll be in a better position to decide whether to return to Syracuse for a fifth year or seek professional basketball opportunities overseas.
“I haven’t given any thought yet,’’ Sidibe said. “For me, my biggest plan right now is to get healthy. If I can healthy, I can make a plan out of that. I’m not just going to sit here and make a plan. The best thing for me right now is to get healthy. If I can get healthy, I can make my plan.’’
In any other year, Sidibe could apply for a medical redshirt because of his injury. He does not need to this year because of the NCAA’s decision to grant athletes an additional year. Plus, Sidibe will not count toward SU’s allotment of 13 scholarships.
Sidibe’s absence has been one of Syracuse’s biggest problems this year.
Sidibe averaged 6.0 points and 7.4 rebounds as a junior. He came on toward the end of the season, registering 10 or more rebounds in each of the Orange’s last six games, and was expected to have a big impact this season.
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Source : Syracuse.com
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