WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Duke's Zoubek Fractures Left Foot

Jan 8, 2008

Durham, N.C. — A Duke basketball team not known for its size just lost the one true big man it had on Tuesday.

Blue Devils sophomore center Brian Zoubek will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a fifth metatarsal fracture in his left foot on Monday, the school announced Tuesday.

The injury is not expected to require surgery.

Zoubek suffered the same injury during a pickup game on July 9 and was out 10 week after undergoing surgery July 11.

“This is a setback for Brian and for the team,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He worked hard to recover from the injury over the summer and was beginning to solidify his role with the team. We have total confidence that Brian will recover from the injury and return as soon as he is physically able.”

The 7-foot-1 Zoubek is averaging 4.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting a team-high 59.5 percent (22-of-37) from the field this season.He started and played 10 minutes Sunday against Cornell, making 2 of 4 field goals and scoring four points.

While Zoubek has been a limited offensive player, he is one of Duke's few tall players. The Blue Devils have just two other players taller than 6-6 in Lance Thomas and Kyle Singler. Both Thomas and Singler are 6-8.

Blue Devils junior Martynas Pocius, meanwhile, had  successful surgery on his left ankle  Tuesday but will be out the remainder of the season.

Pocius played in four games before suffering his injury against Eastern Kentucky. He originally injured his ankle while playing in Lithuania over the summer. The surgery is similar to one he had on his right ankle at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season.

In his four games this season, Pocius was averaging 4.0 ppg. and 2.3 rpg. He had four assists and two steals in 32 minutes of action. He was shooting .385 (5-of-13) from the field, .250 (2-of-8) from the three-point line and 1.000 (4-of-4) from the foul line.