It's officially time for UNC basketball fans to be on "Seth Trimble return watch."
The UNC basketball program's senior leader has missed the last eight games after suffering a broken arm in a weight room incident, but has made tremendous strides as he works towards getting back on the court.
We saw a glimpse of Trimble not needing the brace on his arm when the program hosted its annual holiday shopping trip. The lack of a brace on his arm was more evident on Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill, as the senior captain was still in street clothes but didn't need any support on the injured arm.
Hubert Davis' update changed quickly in two days!
Following Saturday's victory over USC Upstate, Hubert Davis indicated that Trimble had been practicing, mostly doing individual workouts. At the time, Davis claimed he wasn't cleared for contact drills just yet, but that rapidly seemed to change in a matter of 48 hours.
On his weekly radio show with Jones Angell, Davis provided an update that Tar Heel fans certainly wanted to hear:
“When he’s ready, put him in the game,” Davis said. “There’s no decision-making. He’s progressing nicely. He was doing individual workouts, nothing five-on-five, but the last couple of days, he’s been five-on-five and been practicing with us. And so he’s progressing, and I like the way that he is.”
Now, Davis indicates that Trimble has returned to essentially full practice, as he's progressed to the point where his return appears to be in the very near future.
When should we expect Trimble back?
It might be a long-shot that Trimble suits up on Tuesday night against East Tennessee State, but given his desire and love for the program, we wouldn't totally rule it out.
A return against Ohio State in the annual CBS Sports Classic this weekend in Atlanta might be a more logical date, given it would allow him a little more time to practice before going full steam ahead. Davis and the Tar Heels staff could wait to have him play in the final non-conference game of the season on December 22 against East Carolina, giving him one tune up before conference play opens up eight days later.
We're reached the point where it's simply a matter of time before Trimble returns to the court. The Tar Heels handled business during his absence, but his presence on the court is certainly needed when conference play rolls around.