Injuries derail Cardozo in boroughs

Falling in the Queens Borough semifinals to Edison was bad enough for Cardozo. Losing James Southerland and Chris Abney to recurring injuries only made it worse.
Southerland, a talented 6-foot-7 junior swingman who was averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds per game, re-injured his left ankle in the first quarter of the 70-59 setback to the Engineers. The Floral Park resident originally hurt it in a non-league loss to Niagara Falls January 14.
Abney, a 6-foot-8 senior center, re-aggravated his hyper-extended right knee (he initially suffered the injury February 8 against Campus Magnet) on the opening tip when he bumped knees with Devin Brown of Edison, and was taken to a local hospital afterward.
Cardozo Coach Ron Naclerio said the two would be held out indefinitely and may or may not return when the citywide playoffs begin February 27.
While any games they miss in the postseason will certainly hinder any chances Cardozo (21-4) has of making a lengthy run come March, Naclerio expressed far more concerned for his senior’s future.
“The Chris Abney thing bothers me the most,” he said. “I got colleges coming for him. There’s so much involved that the average person doesn’t understand. If he has two or three great games in the playoffs, and we go far, he (might) end up with a scholarship at the right place.”
Naclerio hopes the loss will help the Judges’ resolve, even if they don’t get their two low-post threats back. “It could be a blessing in disguise,” he said. “We’re never going to change the result, change the injuries.
“I’m hoping these kids learned a lesson of how hard you’ve got to work,” the coach continued, “to be thankful for every moment on the court. … Things can go from the penthouse to the outhouse in a hurry.”