Lady Vols Johnson injured at practice

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Lady Vols forward Glory Johnson scores on Delta State. Johnson had 7 points, 2 blcks, and a steal.

Tennessee’s post game, already hard hit by injury, took another blow Wednesday.

Sophomore Glory Johnson suffered a left shoulder injury during a shooting drill. The injury’s severity was unknown. The official UT report was that the 6-foot-3 forward was being evaluated and was listed as day-to-day.

Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt expressed optimism that Johnson would be available for the season opener against Baylor on Sunday in the State Farm Tipoff Classic at Thompson-Boling Arena (Tipoff: 5 p.m., TV: ESPN2). Summitt’s first thought was that the injury wouldn’t present long-term problems.

“I don’t think so,’’ she said. “But the doctors will let me know.”

Johnson had been wearing a protective sleeve on the shoulder during a portion of preseason workouts.

“I don’t think anybody hit her,’’ Summitt said of Wednesday’s injury. “It just gave way.”

Summitt got a good view of the postmortem. She sat with Johnson while UT medical staffers attended to the former Webb School star for at least 15 minutes. Summitt has her own history of shoulder injuries.

“I felt her pain,’’ she said. “Been there, done that.”

Johnson’s teammates were concerned enough to convene a prayer circle.

“Vick (Baugh) just kind of said: You know what, we should pray for her real quick,’’ junior guard Angie Bjorklund said.

Baugh, a junior forward, already is out for the opener as she continues recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. She’s practicing on a limited basis, and her return doesn’t appear to be imminent.

“I’m comfortable if it’s in the new year,’’ Summitt said. “We’re not rushing anything.”

Meanwhile, center Kelley Cain has a surgically repaired right knee and freshman post Faith Dupree missed nearly a week recently with back spasms. Johnson’s injury adds to the lengthy medical report.

Johnson, who made the coaches’ preseason all-SEC second team, started 28 games last year, averaging 10.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Tennessee will face Baylor’s Brittney Griner on Sunday. The 6-foot-8 freshman center’s final warmup for Tennessee was 25 points, 11 rebounds and a dunk in an 81-52 exhibition victory over Incarnate Word on Saturday.

Summitt indicated that freshman Taber Spani, who came to UT as a guard, will start at forward Sunday. Cain will start at center with Bjorklund and Shekinna Stricklen manning the guard spots.

The fifth spot is open, pending a prognosis on Johnson.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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