Rebels swingman Stanback still hampered by left ankle sprain

While redshirting last season, Chace Stanback practiced with the UNLV basketball team and waited his turn. He’s eager to play now, but a left ankle injury has caused another delay.

Stanback sprained the ankle three days before the Rebels’ first practice on Oct. 16. He has been sidelined for the past week and said it could be another week before he returns.

“It’s just a bad ankle sprain. It was all around, on the inside and outside,” he said Saturday. “I’ve been doing a lot of rehab, and I’ll probably get into a light jog next week.

“It’s feeling a lot better. But I’m still disappointed, because all these guys are having a lot of fun out here practicing, and I wish I could get out there with them.”

Stanback, a 6-foot-8-inch sophomore swingman, transferred from UCLA. He is expected to start and develop into one of UNLV’s primary scorers.

Stanback appeared in 25 games for the Bruins in the 2007-08 season. He averaged 25.8 points and 11.9 rebounds as a senior at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles.

The Rebels will scrimmage at Long Beach State on Nov. 7, and have an exhibition game Nov. 10 against Washburn (Kan.) at the Thomas & Mack Center.

“I hope he gets back maybe midweek or late next week,” UNLV coach Lon Kruger said. “We’re hoping the next few days. (But) you never know.

“When you saw the severity of the sprain early, it was pretty swollen.”

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.