All the indications are positive for Carl English’s return to action with the St. John’s Edge, but as far as a final decision on his playing in an upcoming playoff series with the KW Titans, let’s just go with an obvious metaphor.
The ball is in English’s court.
The Edge held a media availability this afternoon at Mile One Centre, where English said he felt healthy more than two months after undergoing surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his left thumb. However, while the 38-year-old shooting guard from Patrick's Cove has tested himself in two full practices with the team this week and has medical clearance to play, he said he does not yet feel ready to fully commit to being available for Saturday night’s Game 1 of a best-of-seven National Basketball League of Canada series against the Titans at Mile One.
With that in mind, the Edge have come up with some solid insurance in case English can’t go Saturday. And even if English is activated from injured reserve before the series, the addition of veteran shooting Kyle Johnson, announced earlier today, provides much-needed depth at the guard spot for St. John’s.
Besides English, the team has since lost two other Canadian guards when Diego Kapelan signed with a South American team late in the season and swingman Shaquille Keith broke a bone in his foot in the first-round playoff series with the Sudbury Five.
Johnson was signed as an injury designate for Keith, who is finished for the season.
The 30-year-old Johnson, who had been playing in France this season, is scheduled to join the Edge tomorrow. The Scarborough, Ont., native, who has won two NBLC championships with the London Lightning and played in the 2012 Olympics for Great Britain, has dual Canadian-British citizenship.
Twitter: @telysports
