Well, this is certainly not off to a propitious start. Transfer shooting guard, Chris Youngblood, who was expected to fill the hole that Rylan Griffin and Sam Walters left, was rumored to be in a boot earlier this week.
Yesterday, Alabama basketball posted highlights of their intrasquad scrimmage, and you could see him in a boot and on a scooter. However, the extent of the injury was not known.
It turns out that it was actually a bit worse than we had hoped — Chris had surgery on his ankle and won’t be at 100% until the start of SEC play.
Alabama did pick up elite shooters from the portal this year, in Aiden Sherrill and Houston Mallette, so the blow is softened somewhat. Trelly also returns. But Youngblood’s lethal three-point accuracy was expected to be the crown jewel of the Tide’s perimeter attack.
The good news is that if anyone can sustain the loss of a 47% three-point shooter, it’s Alabama. The Tide has the deepest bench in the nation, and there are four other outstanding options, including starting point guard Mark Sears.
The new guys just have to be ready. Next man up.
Roll Tide
