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WSU's Gardner headed for more surgery

Second operation on hip could cost the Raiders’ senior guard six to eight weeks of the season.

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer 2:21 AM Tuesday, October 27, 2009

FAIRBORN — John David Gardner, who meant so much to the Wright State basketball team last season — especially after Vaughn Duggins went down with an injury — could miss nearly half of this season with recurring pain in his hip.

Gardner, a 6-foot-4 senior, learned Monday, Oct. 26, that he will have to undergo more surgery, in addition to procedures performed in April.

“It won’t be as extensive,” Gardner said as he slowly walked into the Setzer Pavilion following a meeting with his doctor. “But I’ll be in the hospital at least a day and on crutches two weeks.”

Gardner’s surgery is scheduled for Wednesday. He was told he would not be able to play for six to eight weeks.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Gardner said. “I was fine until about a month ago.”

That’s when the pain returned.

Gardner originally played for Brad Brownell at North Carolina-Wilmington before transferring to WSU three years ago after Brownell took the coaching job here.

He filled in for Duggins last season and was averaging more than 9 points a game and running the offense when his hip began hurting.

He missed the final 10 games of the season and 12 in all as the Raiders recovered from an 0-6 start to finish 20-13.

“J.D. commands unbelievable respect from his teammates,” Brownell said. “He’s a vital piece to our team. Guys believe in him.”

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