Overview
- Coach Mark Pope said Quaintance could play Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic against St. John’s, calling the decision day to day.
- Quaintance has been out roughly nine months following ACL reconstruction and only crossed half court in a drill for the first time two days prior, according to Pope.
- Pope confirmed any initial appearance would include a strict minutes limit due to conditioning, noting that fatigue is a key risk factor in a comeback.
- Analysts highlight Quaintance’s defensive upside from Arizona State, where he averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks with top-tier defensive metrics.
- Local reporting still points to Dec. 23 vs. Bellarmine as a plausible debut target, with coverage also noting research that early ACL returns carry elevated re-injury risk.