The pain in Ruben Guillandeaux's right foot has been matched by the frustration that comes from sitting idle, unable to do anything to help his La Salle teammates.
"It's very frustrating, watching your teammates struggle and not being able to do anything about it," the 6-foot-6 senior said after watching the Explorers lose to Temple, 64-52, in an Atlantic Ten game Saturday at the Liacouras Center.
Nonetheless, there's a chance Guillandeaux will be given the opportunity to make up for lost time.
La Salle coach John Giannini indicated yesterday that if Guillandeaux is unable to return this season because of a stress fracture, the guard may apply for a medical redshirt so he can return as a fifth-year senior next season.
According to NCAA guidelines, an athlete can be a candidate for a medical redshirt if because of injury, he has not played in 30 percent of his team's games in a season - or does not play at all during the second half of a season. Guillandeaux has been sidelined since the fourth game of the season.
"We talk about it all the time," Giannini said. "If I'm told by our doctors and trainers Ruben can't return, it's certainly likely we'll look into a medical redshirt. But for now, everything is being done in an effort to get him back this season."
Guillandeaux is walking without the protective boot he has worn most of the season, but he has yet to be cleared to practice. In the meantime, he has been unable to do anything to keep in shape.
Guillandeaux is one of four seniors who made up Giannini's first full recruiting class. Another is Kimmani Barrett, who recently had surgery to repair a broken bone in his right foot. Together, Guillandeaux and the 6-6 Barrett have 1,833 career points. Guillandeaux did much of the ballhandling, so his absence has increased the burden on star senior guard Rodney Green, who leads the Explorers in scoring but also must do most of the ballhandling.
If Guillandeaux were to be granted a medical redshirt, he would give La Salle valuable backcourt experience next year to coincide with the arrival of point guards Tyreek Duren of Neumann-Goretti and Sam Mills of Cardinal Gibbons in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Practice dilemma. The loss of three players - the injured Guillandeaux and Barrett and the suspended sub Terrell Williams - has made it difficult for La Salle to conduct practices.
"We had to practice four-on-four for the Temple game," Giannini said. "It's a 'Catch-22' situation. If you go hard, you risk further injuries. If you don't go hard, you wonder how prepared you're going to be."
Tough task. Rhode Island (17-3, 5-2), the most surprising team in the A-10, visits Tom Gola Arena tonight. "Their defense and effort and the speed they play with are things you better be prepared for," Giannini said. . . . La Salle 6-10 freshman Aaric Murray was named A-10 rookie of the week, along with Fordham's Chris Gaston. It's the third time Murray has been so honored.
