Just like the women’s team before them on Monday, the Long Beach State men’s basketball team was cleared to return to practice today.
The Beach had three false-positive COVID-19 antigen tests on Friday, but received the necessary negative PCR results today to avoid a second shutdown this season. The first one came in December when a non student-athlete tested positive.
“When you have three of them come up positive, you’re feeling like if we can get back we’ve dodged a bullet,” LBSU head coach Dan Monson said. “The way everyone has been testing and everything, it just can’t always go in your favor. It’s the odds.”
LBSU (3-4, 2-2) has split it first two conference series while being hampered by injuries up and down the roster. Experienced returners like Chance Hunter are working their way back slowly, but Monson said the lack of leadership is apparent.
Two of three LBSU team captains opted out before the season, and the third Jordan Roberts has been injured. Transfer point guard Isaiah Washington has tried to step up and fill that void. He leads the team with 17 points and four assists per game.
“He has really been the only constant factor in all seven games,” Monson said of Washington. “Almost by default as a point guard a lot of it has gone on his shoulders. I think he’s still adjusting because he’s new and trying to get himself organized. He’s been a good teammate and been very coachable.”
LBSU is adding a nonconference game at Cal Baptist on Saturday. The next scheduled conference game is against UC San Diego on Jan. 29.
