Bad news for Tennessee basketball on the injury front continues to come in. Center JP Estrella will miss both of Tennessee’s games at the Baha Mar Tournament in the Bahamas.
The Vols face off against Virginia at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday night before facing either Baylor or St. John’s on Friday night.
It’s the second injury news of note on Thursday as wing Cam Carr will miss four to six weeks with a left thumb injury that he suffered in the second half of Tennessee’s win over Austin Peay on Sunday.
The left foot injury has plagued Estrella since all the way back in the summer and led to the sophomore big man being severely limited throughout the offseason. Estella was limited to individual work for much of the offseason before Tennessee slowly had him do more and more work ahead as the preseason progressed.
Estrella returned for the start of the regular season and played 10.3 minutes per game in the first three matchups of the season as Ohio State transfer Felix Okpara’s backup. Over those three games, Estrella averaged 4.7 points and 2.7 rebounds.
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But the Scarborough, Maine native missed Tennessee’s matchup against Austin Peay on Sunday with the same foot injury that plagued him all offseason. Estrella’s long term status remains unclear as Tennessee tries to figure out the best plan moving forward.
“It is concerning,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said following the Austin Peay game. “We know he wants to play. We know he has done everything he can do. I think the plan we had for him to start was the right plan. Again, they are day to day evaluating that to figure out now where do we go.”
With Estrella out, sophomore power forward Cade Phillips will slide over to the center spot as Okpara’s backup. Phillips has performed well early this season, averaging 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in 18 minutes per game.
Starting power forward Igor Milicic Jr could play the center spot in short spurts but doesn’t have the physicality to play extended minutes there. With Phillips spending more time at the five-spot, Jahmai Mashack could play more minutes as a stretch four. Hofstra transfer Darlinstone Dubar is also nearing a return to the court and can play both the three and four-spot.
Tipoff between Tennessee and Virginia is at 9:30 p.m. ET from the Bahamas on Thursday night.
