The potential effects of a serious Jaylin Williams injury on Auburn’s soccer team
Jaylin Williams went down, and Neville Arena went quiet. All of the excitement and anticipation leading up to one of Auburn’s most significant home basketball games, along with the crowd’s desperate attempt at a comeback, suddenly evaporated into stunned silence.
Williams had lost it. With just over ten minutes remaining in No. 13 Auburn’s eventual 70-59 loss to No. 22 Kentucky, he had gone up for a dunk but came down awkwardly on his right leg, bending his knee.
He lay there for a few minutes. He was unable to bear any weight on his right leg when he was being helped off the ground. They led him into the changing area. He never showed back.
A startled Neville Arena crowd gave way to a worried one.
Suddenly, a lot more was at stake than just an inevitable defeat in the midst of a terrible shooting exhibition on Auburn’s home court. Auburn (20-6, 9-4) was now under the cloud of the greatest player in program history, raising serious doubts about his ability to play basketball on this floor in a uniform ever again.
Although the extent of Williams’ injury is still unknown, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl did not seem optimistic.
Following the match, Pearl remarked, “We think he’s got to have something.” “We believe there is something. Not only did he hit hard, but he also pivot.
Williams will get an MRI on Sunday, according to Pearl. Williams’ meniscus was mentioned by Pearl on Auburn’s post-game radio, but she was unsure if the doctors were really looking at it.
Pearl is currently getting ready to restructure a basketball team that might not have Williams for a while, if at all, while tests and assessments are ongoing.
Pearl remarked, “We’re going to have to figure some things out if Jaylin’s out.” We have guys who I believe will step up. However, Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams are our two best players. Therefore, the next man up must step up if he is out for a short while. That is a noteworthy loss.
With 13.4 points per game, Williams is Auburn’s second-leading scorer. He is the team’s second-leading 3-point shooter as a forward. Additionally, he leads the team in rebounds.
This season, Williams has only played one minute fewer minutes than center Johni Broome.
Denver Jones, an Auburn guard, said, “Seeing a brother go down like that is definitely hard.” “You all are aware of J-Will. He is a vital component of this group. Were we to witness that? Naturally, we had feelings about it. But we still had a game to play at the end of the day. We continue to pray for J-Will.
Pearl’s question now is, “How can I change my game plan without Williams?”
Auburn’s basketball team has occasionally had full-line changes and frequent rotations, much like a hockey team. Williams is a key member of the rotation, and his absence not only eliminates half of the SEC’s top frontcourt and one of Auburn’s most productive players, but it also significantly alters the rotation as it stands.
Chaney Johnson, who moved from Division II Alabama-Huntsville to Auburn prior to the current campaign, appears to be a lock to start.
Although Pearl has stated that his Auburn team has two players at each position, he currently only has one at power forward.
Auburn already loses height to a number of SEC teams, most notably in their defeats to Kentucky and Florida. With Williams out, Auburn may now lose both size and depth.
Dylan Cardwell, another center, and Broome have rarely been played together by Auburn. Well, that could be a possibility. Chris Moore, a forward who usually plays small forward, might be forced to play more power forward. In order to increase his playing time, reserve forward Addarin Scott, who transferred from Texas’ Navarro College, may also be considered by Auburn.
This season, Scott has only played two minutes in every game, and those minutes have all come in the final seconds of lopsided victories. This season, he has played in 19 total minutes.
Pearl will be available to the media again on Monday. The next update regarding Williams’ injury status is probably going to come at that time.
