SDSU guard Darrion Trammell out for exhibition vs. Cal State San Marcos, and maybe season opener as well

San Diego State’s basketball team worked on offense, on defense, on rebounding, on transition, on pressing, on inbounds plays, on situational schemes during practice Friday.

The best thing that happened?

None of that. It was senior guard Darrion Trammell, standing on the sideline and raising his left arm over his head.

“Really exciting for me,” Trammell said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done that.”

Like, nearly three weeks.

What is officially classified as an innocuously sounding “re-aggravated left shoulder injury” has morphed into something that could keep Trammell off the court for a month and maybe longer. He’ll sit out the exhibition Monday night at Viejas Arena against Division II Cal State San Marcos and admits “there is some question” whether he’ll be ready for the Nov. 6 season opener against Cal State Fullerton.

Trammell first felt a twinge on Oct. 8, the day after the team’s first intrasquad scrimmage. He was put in a shoulder sling for a few days and did nothing other than ride the exercycle at practice for the next two weeks with his left arm hanging at his side. Just recently, he started running to maintain, or perhaps regain, fitness. Next up: shooting.

By mid-week, he hopes: practice reps.

He’s had mild flare-ups from the old shoulder injury before, just not this severe.

“I can’t really put a timetable on it,” Trammell said. “Just whenever I’m comfortable, whenever I feel like I can help the team, whenever I feel like I won’t re-injure it. I’m really trying not to rush it. If I come back too early and re-aggravate it, it could become a season-long thing. I’m hoping to play in the opener, but I don’t want to force it.

“I think once I get through this, it will be pretty stable.”

It’s not exactly how the 17^th-ranked Aztecs envisioned the start to a season filled with expectations elevated by their historic run to the national championship game. They already lost five members of the nine-man rotation and were facing a shorter (and certainly less experienced) bench.

Now you’re without the NCAA Tournament’s South Region MVP and your top returning scorer (9.8 points per game), a player with 86 career Division I starts.

“Obviously, the best ability is availability,” coach Brian Dutcher said. “We’ve got to get him healthy. We also know it’s a long year. As much as I want him to play, I’ve just never been a coach who stresses over injuries. We played in Vegas a couple years ago without Lamont Butler or Trey Pulliam (and won).

“Injuries are part of the game. I know, it’s a cliché, but that’s what it is. You can’t do anything about a guy who’s not playing. Next man up.”

Whom that will be remains to be seen. Dutcher admitted Trammell’s absence scrapped plans to start a four-guard alignment with Trammell, Lamont Butler, USC transfer Reese Waters and Micah Parrish with 6-foot-9 Jaedon LeDee.

In last weekend’s closed-door scrimmage against Arizona State, the Aztecs went big and replaced the 5-10 guard with 6-10 freshman center Miles Heide. Another option, Dutcher said, is 6-8 sophomore forward Elijah Saunders.

Less uncertain is the backup point guard behind Butler: Miles Byrd.

The 6-7 sophomore was recruited with an eye to potentially playing point one day given his passing acumen and ability to see over defenses. They just didn’t project that day arriving so soon.

Byrd had a team-high four turnovers in the 72-68 loss against Arizona State on Oct. 21, but none came when he ran the point and several observers remarked how composed he was despite playing just four games last season (and none after Dec. 20). He did have six assists in 20 minutes against Div. III Occidental.

“It’s something I’m comfortable with,” Byrd said after practice Friday. “It’s something I definitely need to keep working on, taking care of the ball, being stronger, being able to lead the guys offensively. But it’s something I think I have the tools for and something I’m willing to work for, and something I can do to help the team win.

“I definitely wasn’t expecting it this early in the season, but it’s a challenge I’m willing to battle head on.”

How has he looked?

“He’s looked about as good as you can look with Lamont Butler guarding you every day in practice,” Dutcher said. “It’s not like he’s going against some guy who is just letting him bring it up and run offense. Lamont is the Mountain West defensive player of the year. I don’t think he’ll face any better defender than Lamont.

“It’s just learning the position, the nuance, knowing where people are on the floor. I think he’ll grow into it. But it’s a hard position to play. You have to play it to grow into it.”