Baratta may be out for season M. Hoops center tears ACL

No one said it was going to be easy for the Penn men's basketball team to repeat its stellar 22-5 performance of last season. Coaches, players and fans alike are all too aware of the pitfalls that a team encounters in a long season. Grueling back-to-back games and long bus rides usually take their toll midway through the season. However, not many people figured that Penn would hit its first stumbling block a week and a half before its season opener against Southern California. Senior forward/center Andy Baratta tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) Monday afternoon in practice, and his status is questionable for the season. While participating in a three-on-three full court drill, Baratta's right knee gave way while playing defense. Simply trying to play tight "D" has put his final season in jeopardy. "My man caught the ball on the wing and I ran out to catch up to him," Baratta said. "I planted my right foot and cut to go left and my knee kind of just caved in." Injuries to the ACL are very serious and Baratta's basketball future is cloudy, at best. He has been fully evaluated and the long, dark road of rehabilitation lies ahead. Only time will tell how grave the injury really is. "It all depends on how it responds to rehabilitation," Baratta said. "I could be running within a week or I could be getting surgery tomorrow. It just depends." Right now, Baratta and Dr. Steve Glascow of Penn Sports Medicine have opted for a wait-and-see approach, instead of surgery to repair the tear. Baratta must ice his knee daily and wear a brace while walking. His rehab will consist of running in the pool and working out on the stairmaster. An injury this early in the season couldn't have been expected by the Quaker coaching staff, and coach Fran Dunphy was highly concerned about both Baratta and the team. "I haven't given as much thought to the team as I have to Andy," Dunphy said. "I'm just sorry this happened to him at this point of his senior season. I thought he was working as hard as anybody could work and I thought he was playing the best basketball of his life." Baratta's absence creates some problems up front for Penn. The Quakers' center-by-committee plan now faces a new wrinkle. "This certainly doesn't help our team any," Dunphy said. "He was a major part of our big man rotation." Juniors Shawn Trice and Eric Moore and sophomore Tim Krug will alternate filling the four and five spots. Freshman Nat Graham may also see increased playing time due to the loss of Baratta. Last season, Baratta started the Quakers' first 13 games. He averaged 4.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in an average of just 15.4 minutes. Baratta was a solid starter, consistent off the bench and his .509 field goal percentage led the team. His best performance of the season came against La Salle when he had 11 points and eight boards. He also recorded a double-double against Lehigh (10 points, 10 rebounds). Baratta will have to overcome stiff odds if he hopes to fully recover from his devastating injury this season. But judging from Baratta's work ethic – he was diving for loose balls at Midnight Madness – he just may have what it takes to battle back to his former status.

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