Saturday’s game against North Dakota proved rewarding for the Vandal men’s basketball team in more ways than one.
In a move that came as a surprise to the majority of spectators at the Cowan Spectrum, Idaho head coach Don Verlin substituted junior guard Perrion Callandret into the game for the Vandals.
The team’s second leading scorer last played in a 74-60 loss on Jan. 9 to Eastern Washington, and had spent the previous nine games on the bench in a medical boot as he battled a lingering foot injury.
In a press conference earlier that week, Verlin said that Callandret was not ready to play and would spend the next two games recovering from the injury.
Callandret checked into the game for the Vandals several minutes into the first half. Idaho was losing 9-1 at the time, and Verlin said he thought Perrion could jumpstart the Vandal offense.
The junior guard immediately made an impact for the Vandals by draining a 3-pointer from the edge of the Idaho logo at half court to beat the shot clock. Although officials eventually waved off the basket after a video review, Callandret’s shot provided a spark for the Vandals offense and sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
Backed by a spirited home crowd and the presence of the junior on the floor, the Vandal offense exploded to earn a thrilling 65-64 win over the Fighting Hawks.
Callandret finished with nine points on 2-5 shooting from the floor and although his impact was not obvious in the statistics, the return of the guard could not have come at a better time for Idaho.
With just four games left on the regular season schedule, Idaho has the opportunity to battle for an automatic bye in the first round of the postseason tournament next month. Callandret’s presence will prove to be a key factor if the Vandals are to secure one of the top four seeds in the Big Sky tournament.
The junior is responsible for 240 points this year, averaging 14.1 points per game and shooting 39 percent from the field.
Before Callandret’s injury, the Vandals were averaging 69.6 points per game and had a 10-6 conference record. After the guard went down with the injury, the team went 5-4 against Big Sky opponents.
The Vandals were also devastated by the loss of leading scorer Victor Sanders, who suffered a broken right hand before Idaho’s matchup against Montana State last month. The sophomore was responsible for 311 points and led the team from behind the arc as he converted 43% of his attempted 3-pointers.
Junior forward Ty Egbert was also ruled out for two weeks with a low ankle injury, and senior guard Chris Sarbaugh has played in several games with a neck injury.
Although the team is dealing with the mental and physical fatigue of the season, Callandret’s leadership abilities will hold the Vandals together and allow them to battle for a position atop the Big Sky Conference standings.
But perhaps the most important aspect that the junior brings to the table is offensive production. With multiple injuries to the guard position, the Vandals have had to rely on reserve players to carry the offense in recent games.
With Callandret back in the lineup, the team can expect to receive a notable contribution on the perimeter – particularly from 3-point range.
With three weeks left before the postseason tournament, Callandret will attempt to lead the Vandals to a position atop the Big Sky Conference standings to earn a coveted first round bye.
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom