Goldfields Giants star Lafonzo Smith’s worst fears have been realised, with the US import ruled out for the remainder of the men’s NBL1 season with a knee injury.
The absence of Smith, who was hurt in the dying minutes of last Sunday’s road clash with Mandurah, robs the squad of its leader in rebounds (7.67 per game) and second-best scorer (16.87).
It could not have come at a worse time for the squad, which slumped to 11th place on the back of four consecutive defeats.
“He (Smith) is a quality player and, more importantly, a quality person so everyone is certainly feeling for him,” Giants coach Scott Manton said.
“It (basketball) is his livelihood, as such, so it’s a bitter blow for him personally and what looked to be an innocuous play at the end of a double-header has turned out to be much more serious.
“Unfortunately, injuries are a risk that all the players take.”
Ahead of Saturday night’s home game at Niels Hansen Stadium against Lakeside, the Giants sit two games and percentage outside the top-eight.
But Manton on Thursday would not be drawn on how Smith’s absence might impact the squad’s finals aspirations.
“That (playing finals) is too far ahead to look at,” he said.
“Mathematically, there’s enough games there for certain.
“But it’s more about how we respond and rebound as a team (because) we still have a few other guys in doubt as well.
“He’s still in Perth at the moment planning his next move, but I’ve left that in the hands of club management.
“Unfortunately, the (Giants’) women’s team have gone through it (injuries to key personnel) and now it’s happened to us.”
Goldfields’ finals hopes were dealt a major blow last weekend when they lost games against Bunbury and Mandurah — teams below them on the ladder.
They have seven games to make up ground, including the next three on their home court against Lakeside, Willetton (June 24) and Bunbury (July 1).
The weekend of July 8-9 will be the squad’s second-last road trip when they take on Kalamunda and Cockburn before returning home to play Rockingham on July 15.
Manton’s squad rounds out the qualifying series on the road against the Perth Redbacks on July 22.