The latest on Justin Minaya

This is a big week for South Carolina and the Gamecocks' tournament hopes, but it's an even bigger week for Justin Minaya.

Minaya, who's missed the last month with an injury, will get his cast off this week and a determination will get made if he'll be able to play the final regular season game and the SEC Tournament next week.

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"When it comes to injuries, you’re pregnant or you’re not. I would think he’s either going to be cleared to give it a go or he’s going to be told he’s not ready. Minute restrictions and load management and that nonsense? What is load management? Seriously," Frank Martin said. "So if he plays 15 minutes he’s not getting hurt but if he plays 18 he is getting hurt? I’ve never comprehended that. Either they can go or they can’t

Minaya hurt his thumb in late January against Missouri and has missed the last eight games after a successful surgery a few days after the initial injury.

His meeting with doctors is Wednesday, so Minaya playing against Mississippi State Tuesday is out of the question, but there is a chance he could play Saturday in the regular season finale against Vanderbilt and obviously in the SEC Tournament, which starts a few days later.

The plan, if Minaya is cleared this week to return to action, is to have him in the lineup as soon as possible with just a stabilizing cast on his thumb so he could still play.

"When he does get cleared and if it happens this week, that there’s some kind of cast they can put on it. if that’s the way it works, I mean, he’s ready and cleared to go. That’s the way I look at it," Martin said. "That's the way it’s been explained to me. If he’s not, it’s not like he can practice for 30 minutes and not play in games. I can’t see it being like that. If it is, I would not understand what it means.”

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Before getting injured, Minaya was playing arguably the best basketball of his career, averaging 8.9 points in SEC play with seven rebounds, two assists and a steal. He was also shooting almost 40 percent from the field and is the team's best perimeter defender.

If he is able to return, the Gamecocks (17-12, 9-7 SEC) would get one of their biggest pieces back before a big final few games as they try to fight for a tournament berth.