Point guard Penn closer to a return

Freshman could be back within a week

By Justin Hite Stillwater NewsPress

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State point guard Ray Penn first noticed something was wrong against Baylor. He couldn’t describe the pain to OSU athletic trainer Jason Miller. At first, he thought it was just a sore knee.

It got even worse against Colorado — like a sharp pain in his shin.

An MRI revealed a stress reaction and Penn went to the bench.

He’s been there for the four games, but seems nearing a return.

Penn says he’ll definitely be back by the time OSU faces Oklahoma. OSU coach Travis Ford thinks Penn might even be back today against Texas Tech at 12:30 p.m. Whenever he comes back, OSU needs him to be at 100 percent.

“We need him to be,” Ford said. “I think it’ll be difficult, but there are 8 games left and hopefully more after that. I think he can get back to there. I’m anxious to see it because I think it’s going to be a great test for him and really see how much determination and what he’s made of between the ears a little bit because he has been sitting out.

“When he’s ready to go, I’m throwing him back in there. We need him, we need him badly.”

Penn has done some workouts in the pool to maintain his conditioning, and got back to live practice for the first time on Wednesday. It went well, but he was still rusty. When Penn does come back, it’ll be tough to do with Ford watching him.

Ford’s been through a much worse injury.

After sitting out his transfer-required year, Ford broke his left kneecap early in the season at Kentucky. He played through the severe pain before finally having surgery in the off-season.

“I have sympathy, but I don’t have time to make excuses,” Ford said. “You can make excuses in November and December, but at this point in time you better play. We all better play and step up and coach and be the best that we can at this point in time because nobody’s going to feel sorry for you.”

As a competitor, it’s been miserable for Penn to sit and watch OSU’s point guards. While he doesn’t think the other point guards are struggling, he has noticed the extensive pressure.

Penn felt like he’s added another stage to his game by getting another look at it from the bench, but Ford isn’t fooled.

“No, you have to be out there,” said Ford, who hopes Penn has realized that the Cowboys need him. “That’s him wanting to sound good. We hope he has, I hope has but there’s nothing like being out there in the middle of it. …

“He has to come back and play well. We need him. We need him. We need him, badly. We need somebody that can create a shot for somebody.”

Penn was rounding a corner as a point guard when he suffered his second major injury at Oklahoma State. He was playing 94 feet, scoring well and playing the defense Ford had been looking for. Penn was playing more than 30 minutes per game as a freshman in the Big 12.

Ford doesn’t think Penn will be able to immediately come back to the level he was when he left. When he does come back, he’ll take OSU back to another level.

“We are a good team without Ray, no doubt, I do believe that,” OSU forward Marshall Moses said. “With Ray, we’re a great team. He can shoot the ball. He can make plays for other people. He loves the game. His passion about the game. He has this confidence you usually don’t see with freshmen.

“With Ray, we’re that much better.”