Gamecocks getting Frink back Friday, plus a Minaya update

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASKTEBALL

The Gamecocks will finally get one of its final pieces of the 2018 recruiting class back on the court Friday night.

Alanzo Frink, who missed the team's first six games with cartilage damage in his knee, will dress and play when the Gamecocks (3-3) take on Coastal Carolina Friday.

“He’ll dress. He’s been in practice yesterday and today. He’s lost, has no idea what he’s doing, but you can tell his presence in practice,” Martin said on his weekly call-in show. “He’s still not where he needs to be but he’ll dress and I’ll throw him out there.”

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Frink is a three-star prospect the staff is very high on, that plays down in the post and could take some of the pressure off the frontcourt duo of Chris Silva and Maik Kostar, who have struggled to start the year.

Martin also updated the status of Justin Minaya, who will be out over a month with a knee injury suffered on Sunday during practice.

Minaya will have surgery on his knee Friday and Martin gave a "guesstimate," saying Minaya would be out roughly four to six weeks.

“Everything starts in God’s hands. Surgery happens and everyone heals differently. He’s got to heal,” Martin said. “I know the aggressiveness he’s going to attack to get back onto the court, Justin’s got an unbelievable work ethic.”

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It was a big blow, with Martin saying after the Gamecocks' loss to Wofford, Minaya was becoming the leader of the team.

While Minaya wasn't shooting the ball effectively through the team's first five games, he was doing a lot of other things well that contribute to the team.

“He’s doing different things that bring an aggression to how we play. All of a sudden you don’t have him and you can’t adapt and change. And he’s a bigger, stronger kid.”