Ex-Mater Dei Standout Mitchell Has Career-Threatening Injury

SURFERS PARADISE, Australia — Former Mater Dei High basketball standout Mike Mitchell remained hospitalized after suffering career-threatening injuries to his right arm when he smashed it through a glass panel after a controversial loss.

Mitchell was angered by a number of decisions when his Gold Coast Rollers lost to the Illawarra Hawks Saturday in the Australian National Basketball League. He smashed his fist through the glass-wire panel of the team’s locker room door after storming from the court.

Mitchell, who played at Fresno State and was the Western Athletic Conference player of the year at Colorado State, underwent surgery early Sunday. Roger Parish, a doctor on duty at the game, said Mitchell’s future was clouded.

“The arm was so badly cut the muscle had spilled out and at least one artery was severed,” Parish said. “He won’t play again this year and if micro-surgery is not successful, he may never play again.”

Mitchell, 25, was taken by ambulance to Wollongong Hospital. Teammate Ron Radliff found Mitchell slumped on the locker room floor in a pool of blood after he collapsed in shock.