NBL: Adelaide 36ers big man Isaac Humphries sidelined

The Adelaide 36ers face title contenders the Illawarra Hawks for their next match but they’ll be without one of their biggest stars.

The Adelaide 36ers will be without starting centre Isaac Humphries for around three weeks as the star big man attempts to get on top of a nagging knee injury.

Humphries, 24, played limited minutes in Adelaide’s upset win over the Perth Wildcats on Tuesday, the club’s first game in a month, after he emerged from the league’s Covid-19 protocols.

But he was unable to play any part in the Sixers’ 19-point loss to ladder leaders Melbourne United on Saturday.

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“He’s going to miss some games and he’s a bit frustrated at different times,” coach CJ Bruton explained.

“But he’s fought through a lot and I think at this point it’s best to sit him down and reassess.

“To allow him to come to terms with where he’s at, how he can contribute to the group, and we’ll go from there.

“Everyone’s supporting him, we all love and care for him, and we’re all behind him to take this bit of time to manage his body and get himself right.

“It’s been frustrating for him, but we’re ticking boxes along the way to get improvement and get to a level where he’s comfortable and we know that as the season goes on he’ll be better.

“There’s a process behind everything that we do and we’re looking forward to getting Isaac back soon.”

Humphries has been luckless on the injury front for the past 12 months, with foot and knee issues sidelining him for large chunks of last season.

Bruton took the reins from Conner Henry this season. (Photo by Kelly Barnes/Getty Images)

His absence will make it harder for Bruton to properly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of his extensively retooled roster that features just three players from last season.

“I think it takes 10 games to find out,” the rookie coach said of the evaluation process.

“For me, it was a short pre-season with the guys, not having a full roster, and managing bodies for practice and games.

“As a coach I need to make the best of the situation.

“I think we’re heading in the right direction.

“I told the boys after the game that if they continue to play with that sort of effort, and if we continue to get better on our offence and execution, I think our effort on the defensive end will shine through and help us win more ball games along the way.”

Up next, the 36ers will hit the road for a match-up with the Illawarra Hawks on Monday night.

Originally published as NBL: Adelaide 36ers big man Isaac Humphries sidelined