Deivon Smith is still hoping he can play against Georgetown on Tuesday night despite suffering a sprained shoulder in the St. John’s basketball victory on Saturday against Villanova.
Smith collided with Wildcats guard Wooga Poplar before dropping to the ground and holding his right shoulder. He was taken directly to the locker room and X-Rays were negative as he tried to play in the second half, but his mobility was significantly compromised and limited to just three minutes.
On Monday, Smith detailed the progress he was making and would not make a final determination if he would try and play against the Hoyas.
“I’m pretty sore right now, I’m moving [the shoulder] a lot better than I was on Saturday…just heavily treating it,” Smith said. “I never rule myself out until it’s time to go and I’m not suited up.”
The only game Smith has not played this season for the Red Storm was due to disciplinary reasons against Harvard.
“I try to play through a lot of things and I’m a pretty tough guy so I’m just going to keep doing treatment.”
Smith, at the time of his injury, was St. John’s leading scorer in the game with 12 points and is averaging 10.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Simeon Wilcher got most of Smith’s minutes in the second half, playing all but the final 31 seconds after he fouled out.
The injury to his right shoulder is the same shoulder he injured in the preseason which caused him to miss three days of practice after receiving a cortisone shot.
“I wish it was my left arm, because I would have played,” Smith explained. “It hurt a lot…I couldn’t brace myself for the hit.”
He said it was a “Top-3” pain he’s ever felt in his life but his shoulder naturally went back into place and didn’t need assistance getting back into place from any other medical professionals.
Deivon Smith has said he’s able to shoot and his “range of motion is getting better with the treatments.”
“I’m not sad or not dwelling on it. I’m just going to attack the treatment heavy and be ready to play when my number is called.”
Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET (Peacock) inside Madison Square Garden.