Dislocated finger sidelines Okogie

Guard Josh Okogie will be out at least two weeks after sustaining an open dislocation of the index fifinger of his left hand in the Yellow Jackets’ exhibition game against Georgia State on Saturday.

Speaking Wednesday, coach Josh Pastner declined to make a more precise projection for his return, saying, “We’ll know a lot more over the next 10 days.” It does mean, at the least, that Okogie will miss the team’s season opener against No. 21 UCLA in Shanghai on Nov. 10. Tech’s next game will be at McCamish Pavilion against Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 19, which is 18 days from Wednesday.

“It’s going to be a minimum couple of weeks for sure,” Pastner said Wednesday, a day before his team plays an exhibition game against NAIA Faulkner at McCamish. “I don’t know how long. A lot of it’s going to depend on his healing.”

Okogie is a critical part of the Tech lineup, having led the Jackets in scoring last year with 16.1 points per game. He was named to the preseason All-ACC team last week. On Wednesday, he was seen at the team’s practice facility with his wrist, hand and fingers stabilized in a neon- green cast.

Pastner said he wants to be cautious against returning Okogie to the lineup too quickly because of his eagerness to start practicing again.

For the exhibition game, Tech also will play without guard Brandon Alston and forward Sylvester Ogbonda. Both have MCL sprains. Ogbonda sustained his about two weeks ago, while Alston sustained his in the loss to Georgia State.

Both players are considered questionable for UCLA, Pastner said.