Tamari Key receive a fresh suspension today: Base on the reaction…
Tamari Key doesn’t have a defined timeframe to return to the court for Lady Vols basketball yet.
There’s too many unknowns for that as the Tennessee senior center comes back after dealing with blood clots in her lungs, Lady Vols coach Kellie Harper said Thursday.
“We are just trying to be mindful of her body as she gets back into playing and just trying to be patient and allow her to help guide us with how she is feeling,” Harper said.
Key is back for the Lady Vols for a fifth season, but she isn’t totally back in action as the team goes through preseason practices. That is a process Harper and the Tennessee medical staff continue to work through as the dominant post presence eases her way back after a missed season.
Guard Avery Strickland, a Farragut product, is day to day with an injury but Harper expects her back after in less than a week. Guard Edie Darby returned to practice Thursday after missing a stretch with an injury.
Key played in nine games in the 2022-23 season before she was a last-minute scratch when UT faced Chattanooga last December. The former All-SEC selection was diagnosed with blood clots in her lungs and missed the remainder of the season.
Harper expects the Lady Vols will be prepared to put timeframes on Key’s return and the phases to it before the end of October. For now, the plan is filled with patience and listening.
