Dalron slowed by bum ankle

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Dec. 5, 2002 | 9:56 a.m.

RENO -- Senior forward Dalron Johnson didn't score a single point in the first half of Wednesday night's 82-80 victory over Nevada-Reno and finished with just 10 points. But there was a good reason for his offensive struggles.

Johnson woke up with a painful left ankle injury Wednesday that has both Rebel coach Charlie Spoonhour and Johnson worried.

"I'm concerned about it," Spoonhour said. "He couldn't do anything today in our shootaround. ... He got up this morning and he really couldn't run on it."

Johnson, with the aid of some pain medication, managed to play 29 minutes Wednesday night and finished with nine rebounds and four blocked shots. He also made a crucial tip-in basket with 43 seconds left to tie the game, 80-80.

"My ankle was real tender and real stiff which made it hard to accelerate quickly and move laterally," Johnson said. "I really don't know how it happened. That's why it is baffling to me. I don't remember tweaking it in practice or anything but the pain was just extreme."

Johnson said Rebel team trainer Dave Tomchek wants to take X-rays of the ankle.

"Probably not (today)," Johnson said. "Maybe when we get back (from Wisconsin). Regardless of what the doctors say I want to play. But it was very painful. (Tomchek) gave me some medication that kept the pain away a little bit, but after a while it started to wear off. But I was able to play through it."

Now the question is for how long?