Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009 | 5:50 p.m.
UNLV freshman Oscar Bellfield practiced Tuesday and is expected to play Wednesday night at Colorado State.
Rebels coach Lon Kruger will see how Bellfield feels at the team’s walk-through Wednesday afternoon to gauge his status.
Kruger said Bellfield likely will play as a reserve, to test the hamstring, against the Rams.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” Kruger said after watching Bellfield direct various drills, and slide laterally and back up on defense, with the UNLV second team inside the Cox Pavilion practice gym.
The first team consisted of guards Wink Adams and Tre'Von Willis, forwards Joe Darger and René Rougeau, and center Darris Santee.
Bellfield tweaked his right hamstring in the second half at TCU on Saturday. He went back in to try and play but lasted only 19 seconds.
Adams, meanwhile, had the best practice of his season Tuesday, according to Kruger.
Adams injured an abdominal muscle Dec. 23. He did not play at Louisville but came off the bench, to a rousing ovation inside the Thomas & Mack Center, against New Mexico. He started Saturday’s loss against the Horned Frogs.
Until Tuesday, he hadn’t driven hard through the lane – the signature move that Adams uses to create for others or to take it strong to the hole on multiple defenders.
Tuesday, Adams penetrated through the middle with strong drive after strong drive, without hesitating.
Bellfield, who has started 11 of 16 games, averages 7.1 points, 3.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds. He leads the Rebels with 56 assists; Adams has 50.
He suited up for practice Monday, but only participated in stretching and jogging during warm-ups. As a precaution, he did not partake in any drills. Treatment has included steam and ice.
Tuesday, he practiced with a silver wrap around his right thigh. It appeared that the wrap gave him more problems than the injury.
A half dozen times, Bellfield adjusted the wrap. “It kept slipping,” Bellfield said.
He said it felt better but that he still felt a little tightness, which kept him from going all out. He downplayed the significance of him starting or coming off the bench in Fort Collins, Colo.
“We’ll be all right,” Bellfield said.
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