Sara Blicavs’ right knee injury that she suffered in last Friday’s loss to the Adelaide Lightning is worse than first thought.
While originally believing Blicavs had just torn the ACL, surgery has revealed she has also suffered a torn meniscus and fractured knee. Blicavs went under the knife on Monday night and will miss at least 12 months of basketball.
The setback means the 24-year-old will miss the rest of this WNBL season, along with the start of the next one. Furthermore, she will be unavailable for national selection for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
It also means Blicavs’ WNBA ambitions will be on hold for at least the next year.
Olympian Tessa Lavey has expressed her empathy, but believes the presence of her Dandenong Rangers teammate will still assist the team in their playoff push.
“It was something you see on the court and you don’t wish it upon anyone,” she told The WNBL Show.
“She is one of my really good mates so I really felt for her. She is one of the most positive [people] ever, so she will get back on the train as soon as she can. Credit to her, we are really looking forward to her being back on the side of the court helping out coaching and stuff like that at practice. It’ll be really nice to have her back.”
Blicavs suffered the injury after an awkward landing late in the first half.
The Rangers sit sixth on the WNBL ladder with a 4-5 record and face an uphill battle to make the top four. They cannot sign another import, but it’s understood Dandenong will look to acquire a local talent to replace Blicavs.
They battle the Bendigo Spirit this Sunday at the Traralgon Sports Centre in their first outing without their starting power forward.
Blicavs was averaging 14.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists this season.
Photo: Dandenong Rangers/WNBL