ORU injury raises concern among coaches

March 25, 2008 01:04 am

— WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Pat Summitt thinks it’s time to consider new safety rules in college basketball.
After seeing Oral Roberts guard Mariana Camargo crumple to the ground on top of a cheerleader’s sign in the opening seconds of Sunday night’s game, the Tennessee coach told The Associated Press on Monday that she would support looking into a rule backing cheerleaders, photographers and camera crews off the baseline to help prevent injuries.
“I would certainly be in favor of that,” Summitt said.
The issue cropped up Monday, a day after Camargo apparently tore her anterior cruciate ligament while chasing the ball out of bounds off the opening tip.
After the game, Oral Roberts coach Jerry Finkbeiner said he believed Camargo slipped awkwardly when she stepped on the sign. But Summitt and Purdue coach Sharon Versyp, who both watched tape of the game in preparation for their second-round matchup Tuesday night, said the injury actually occurred earlier and that Camargo merely landed on top of the sign.
Regardless, players and coaches at the West Lafayette site had mixed reactions to whether anything could — or should — be done to give players more protection.
“I think someone will draft legislation, probably their (Oral Roberts’) conference,” Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. “It seems like a potential hazard that can be easily avoided. “