Tiger To Get All Clear
The Age
Saturday December 20, 2008
SAM Mackinnon could return to the court for the Melbourne Tigers as early as January despite what appeared to be a career-threatening blood clot in his lung last month.
Mackinnon detected the clot as he prepared for a National Basketball League game against Perth in Darwin three weeks ago, sparking fears for his playing future given the same condition had prevented him competing at the Beijing Olympics.But Mackinnon said yesterday that his doctor was satisfied the clots would not keep him out of the game, and it was just the effects of his anti-coagulant medication that could further delay his return.Mackinnon said his doctor was concerned that the medication, which thins his blood to clear the clotting, could pose a risk if he is hit in the head during a game."It just comes down to your blood's thinner - haemorrhaging and all that sort of stuff - so it's a case of if you get a good knock on the head you've got to go to hospital and have observation," Mackinnon said.But, he said, his doctor was considering giving him the all-clear as head injuries are relatively uncommon in basketball.Mackinnon returned to training this week in the hope he will be fit to play the Tigers' first game of 2009, against Perth on January 11."I started running around this week and I feel really good," he said. "Lung-wise I feel good, so I'm just getting myself back into being fit - I don't want to give myself any soft-tissue injuries by rushing back in."The Tigers play Wollongong at the State Netball and Hockey Centre tonight at 7.30.Basketball Australia will search for a new chief executive with interim boss Scott Derwin deciding to quit.Derwin will not apply to make his job permanent. He has been BA's chief executive for the past nine years and oversaw the merger this year of the governing body with the struggling NBL. -- With AAP
© 2008 The Age