Arizona's Tommy Lloyd hoping short-term solutions without Godfrey don't turn permanent

Or anytime, really.

But even as Texas judge Ryan Luna indicated Thursday that athletes such as Godfrey who jumped into the Texas five-for-five case would not receive a preliminary injunction, Lloyd remained somewhat optimistic.

It is possible a ruling to grant relief might still involve all plaintiffs and the Texas Trial Group filed in the Texas lawsuit is arguing that the new plaintiffs “had the unilateral right to refile in Texas.” Godfrey jumped in from a stalled five-for-five case in Georgia.

“You're speculating about things that are so many degrees removed right now,” Lloyd said when asked Friday about contingency plans if he can't start Godfrey at power forward. “Let's see. If we get good news today, maybe that changes everything.”

Godfrey initially received a preliminary injunction to play this season via his Georgia lawsuit, but the NCAA received a stay on that order last month. With oral arguments for an appeal not scheduled until January, Godfrey jumped in the Texas case, as did other athletes who had hit roadblocks elsewhere.

“I don't have all the stats. ... but somebody told me there's something like 80 guys currently eligible, and there's like 20 currently not eligible,” Lloyd said. “What's funny is (Godfrey) was the lead plaintiff in the first case, and they won. And he's... it's just, it's, whatever.

“There's so many things that go into it. We could go down that rabbit hole, but (Godfrey's) family's been great. They're great people, they have high character and they've done everything the right way. I'm hopeful that they'll be rewarded because RJ is deserving.”

While waiting, Lloyd had had six exhibition games to figure out ways to survive if Godfrey is not allowed to play.

Godfrey is the Wildcats’ only true power forward, with potential to provide a similar presence that Koa Peat and Tobe Awaka did last season, but without him, Lloyd has moved small forward Ivan Kharchenkov over to the power forward spot and filled in the perimeter with smaller players.

Lloyd also played Kharchenkov at power forward at times late last season when Peat was out for UA’s loss to Texas Tech and wins at Houston and Baylor

“I don't love it long term maybe as much as I would short term,” Lloyd said. “But Ivan played some at the four last year… and we found a way to go to Houston and Baylor and win a couple tough games. Obviously we had Tobe as well. So that’s something.”

While 6-10 freshman wing Maksim Brnovic suffered a concussion during the Wildcats’ first game of their Lithuanian exhibition tour, Lloyd has also played him at power forward during Arizona’s three exhibition games at McKale Center.

Lloyd said Brnovic “has a lot of talent at that spot” even though he’s known for his perimeter skills. Lloyd's efforts to play two centers together, such as Motiejus Krivas and Ugnius Jarusevicius — or Jarusevicius and Evan Otten — have been less successful so far.

“We know some things are up in the air and some decisions are going to be made,” Lloyd said about Godfrey's case. “We have no idea which direction they're going to go, and like I said, hopefully we'll get a positive resolution at some point. Then we can kind of move forward and figure out what this team can be all about.”

The Wildcats are expected to bring Godfrey (and his uniform) with him to Las Vegas in case of a ruling that grants him eligibility before they play UCLA on Monday night. However, UA would also need to clear Godfrey internally, and the school likely would examine any court ruling to ensure the wording does not allow for any NCAA bylaws to penalize the team in the future.

Rim shots

– Freshman center Endi Aiyamenkhue has been able to participate more in recent practices, Lloyd said, though he still is not a full-go because of the undisclosed lower body injury that has kept him out of the Wildcats’ three McKale exhibitions. Aiyamenkhue is considered a longer-term prospect.

– Lloyd said he trusted that Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark would make sure the conference is in good shape before he leaves his job at the end of January. Yormark oversaw UA’s transition from the Pac-12 to Big 12. “He's a go-getter and he's a good guy,” Lloyd said. “He was good to me. I think he really saw the value of Arizona basketball, and he told me that numerous times.”