Jan. 5, 2004
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech sophomore Theodis Tarver, who has been sidelined since the pre-season with a knee injury, will play his first game for the 8th-ranked Yellow Jackets Sunday at North Carolina, head coach Paul Hewitt said Monday.
Tarver, a 6-9 forward from Monroe, La., dislocated the kneecap in his left knee in practice on Oct. 30, a week prior to the Jackets’ first exhibition game. No other damage was done to the knee, and Tarver spent seven full weeks rehabilitating the knee, then returned to the court full-time for practice when Tech returned from Christmas break.
“Barring anything unforeseen this week, and he gets through practice well, he will play Sunday,” said Hewitt. “We talked with his mother and father and our medical staff, and they made the decision to play.
“He feels ready to play, and he wants to be a part of this team. I’m looking forward to having him back, obviously, because he’s a big presence down low and a great shot blocker.”
Tarver emerged one of the keys of Tech’s late-season run a year ago, when the Yellow Jackets won four of their final six games and reached the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament. Tarver started all three NIT games, averaging 21 minutes, 6.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while going 8-for-8 from the floor and 4-of-8 from the foul line.
For the season, Tarver averaged 2.8 points and 1.9 rebounds while making 61.3 percent of his field goals. He blocked 19 shots in 18 games.
