St. John's University Athletics
St. John??' Rob Thomas Undergoes Knee Surgery
4/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
St. John???s head men???s basketball coach Norm Roberts announced that freshman forward Rob Thomas will miss an indefinite amount of time while recovering from surgery to repair his injured right knee.
Thomas, a freshman member of the basketball program at St. John???s, has been enrolled as a full-time student since January of 2007. Ruled as a partial qualifier by the NCAA last September, Thomas has been attending to his studies and strength training during his NCAA-mandated ???year in residence,??? in anticipation of joining the Red Storm as full-time member of the team in December of 2007.
Thomas??? knee injury occurred last Monday, March 26, during a pick-up basketball game, where he suffered tears in his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), his lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and his lateral meniscus.
Thomas was attended to and examined immediately by St. John???s Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine, Ron Linfonte, A.T.C. and later by team doctor Osric King, M.D. Following a MRI, surgery was performed by Answorth Allen, M.D., team orthopedist to St. John???s and the New York Knicks, on Friday, March 30.
Injuries of this nature can take anywhere from eight to 12 months to recover, according to Linfonte.
"Rob's injury is very unfortunate. He is a young man who has worked so hard academically and athletically to prepare to play at St. John's next season," said Roberts. "We are disappointed for Rob, but we know he'll work extremely hard to rehab and be back as soon as he is ready."
