Kevin Pittsnogle's rookie season with the Xplosion has ended a little sooner than expected.

Pittsnogle, a 6-foot-11 forward from West Virginia University and the Xplosion's first pick in the CBA draft, left the team for the rest of the season and returned home to Martinsburg, W.Va., to give his elbow and sore toe an opportunity to heal so he can play in an overseas league this spring and join an NBA camp over the summer.

The Xplosion, which has been eliminated from the ABA playoffs, has seven games left in the regular season. The Xplosion is in last place in the American Division with a 8-33 record.

"We don't want to make it any worse," Xplosion general manager Freddie Lewis said of Pittsnogle's injuries, which have nagged him all year. "It's affected him an awful lot. He wasn't able to explode and move like he wanted to. What he has is like a turf toe. That and the elbow were constantly aggravating him and really started to flare up in early February."

Pittsnogle, who has a one-year contract with the Xplosion, missed five games and played in pain for six since his right elbow was injured at Great Falls, Mont., on Feb. 2, a couple of days before the CBA All-Star game. Pittsnogle didn't participate in the All-Star game or the 3-point shooting contest.

Pittsnogle's minutes and points were reduced as he averaged 11.5 points in his final six games, dropping his season average to a team-high 19.4 points per game. He also averaged 6.2 rebounds per game.

"We're hoping he can heal and play during the summer and be ready for our season," Lewis said, "If that's the way things work out."

Without Pittsnogle, the Xplosion beat the Indiana Alley Cats, 109-102, last night in Anderson, Ind., for their second straight win.

Rob Griffin led six double-figure scorers with 28 points and hit a 3-pointer in the final minute to help seal the victory.