ST. JOHN'S CENTER MOHAMED DIAKITE GAINS ELIGIBILITY

11/17/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

November 17, 2000, Jamaica, NY -- St. Johns University announced today that Mohamed Diakite (pronounced JOCK-KEY-TAY), 6-11 freshman center on the mens basketball team, has been declared eligible by the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Diakite, a native of Africa, who played high school basketball at Montrose Christian Academy in Rockville, Maryland, has been sidelined and unable to practice due to a fractured left hand suffered in practice in early November.

Surgery to repair the fracture of the fourth metacarpal bone in his left hand was performed by Dr. Michelle Carlson on November 2 at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. Dr. Carlson inserted two pins into the hand during the surgery to repair the injury.

He will have X-rays taken of the fracture by Dr. Carlson next week to monitor the healing of the fracture and a timetable will be set for his return at that time.

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