Concerns Mounting About Ish Massoud's Hand Injury

With 16 days to go until their season opener, Georgetown could be without a key starter for multiple games.

Georgetown forward Ish Massoud suffered a hand injury during yesterday’s 78-64 loss in a scrimmage against Pitt that is likely to sideline him for the early part of Georgetown’s schedule, and potentially even longer than that, according to multiple sources in and around the Georgetown program.

As of last night, Massoud was set to get an X-ray on the hand, but the early belief after talking with multiple sources is that Massoud broke his hand. Massoud left the scrimmage yesterday with his hand in a soft splint.

The X-ray will determine the extent of the injury, and a timeframe for Massoud’s return. Georgetown begins its season in 16 days, on November 7 against Le Moyne College.

Massoud was set to start at the 4 for Georgetown this season, and an absence of any length for Massoud would be a massive blow for a Georgetown team that already had no depth in the frontcourt, and now could be without one of its top shooters for the start of the season.

One source told Hilltop Hoops that the Georgetown coaching staff is “very concerned” about Massoud’s injury currently. The staff is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best on a prognosis for Massoud’s injury.

Massoud has emerged as a veteran leader and voice on the team during offseason workouts and preseason practices. Last year at Kansas State, he shot 42% from three, and is a career 37% three-point shooter. Massoud being sidelined due to injury would be a big hit both on and off the court for the Hoyas.

6-foot-10 freshman forward Drew Fielder is expected to fill in for Massoud while Massoud is out. After Fielder, the Hoyas have no one else well-suited to play power forward on its roster currently.

Ryan Mutombo and Supreme Cook, both centers, are the only other healthy players in the Georgetown frontcourt right now, besides Fielder.

For a team with only ten scholarship players (I have heard that Cam Bacote is actually on scholarship), an injury to Massoud, along with Jay Heath’s continued absence due to a minor foot injury, would leave Georgetown with only eight healthy scholarship players heading into the season.