AIR FORCE ACADEMY — For 26 games the past two seasons, Air Force men’s basketball coach Jeff Reynolds didn’t have to take a long look at the opposition if it had a tall, competitive center.
For years, the Falcons survived without a true big man in the middle.
Two years ago, things changed. Freshman Sammy Schafer checked into the program at 6-feet-10 and showed the potential to be a force in the Mountain West Conference. But as Reynolds and the Falcons go through their final preparations for the 2010-11 season, they don’t have their tall timber at center.
Schafer, now 6-11 and closer to the height of older brother Ray, who’s 7-2, is on administrative turn back while recovering from the aftermath of a concussion. He returned to his home in Oregon City, Ore.
“We have to see if it works out,” Reynolds said. “Six months ago, I would have said I was confident he would be back on our team. But the longer it goes on, it makes you wonder.”
Schafer suffered the concussion in the third game last season and didn’t play again.
He played in 23 games as a freshman and showed his value with nine blocked shots and 39 rebounds.
Schafer makes scheduled visits to the academy for medical evaluation.
