BERKELEY, Calif. – Arizona guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright will play for the Wildcats tonight in their Pac-12 Conference opener after missing six games with a high ankle sprain.
UA trainer Justin Kokoskie said before tonight’s game that Jackson-Cartwright does not have a set goal for minutes but instead will test the ankle out to see how he feels and how well he can defend.
“It’s been a slow progression but we’re making sure we’re extremely safe,” Kokoskie said. “We asked him to communicate with us. You’re always a step slow when you first come back from treatement and rehabilitation.”
Still, Jackson-Cartwright will return at the earliest possible date that Kokoskie and UA coach Sean Miller expected after he was injured on Nov. 30 against Texas Southern.
He was estimated to miss 4-8 weeks and tonight’s game is just two days after the four week mark.
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Kokoskie said the timing of UA’s schedule helped Jackson-Cartwright because once it was determined not to play him on Dec. 20 against New Mexico the Wildcats had a full 10 days until the Cal game.
Jackson-Cartwright even went home for UA’s pre-Christmas break with strict instructions given to his family on how to continue rehabilitation, though Kokoskie said at that point Jackson-Cartwright was already working out in limited form on the court and didn’t need rehab equipment.
Meanwhile, however, UA will be without guard Allonzo Trier, who will miss his 14th game with an NCAA suspension. Trier made the trip to the Bay area, having been cleared to travel by the NCAA about a month ago, but wore a gray sweatsuit while his teammates warmed up in red uniforms.
