Hansel Enmanuel returns from injury for the Governors

Hansel Enmanuel returned to action on Thursday for the Austin Peay Governors' game against the North Florida Ospreys. With Emmanuel being a social media sensation, the program ensured to celebrate his comeback with a brief video.

The Governors posted a 30-second clip on X and Instagram. The video garnered nearly 700 likes on Instagram in less than 12 hours and nearly 30k impressions on X.

"HANSEL ENMANUEL IS BACK! 🎩🏀 #BleedRed | #LetsGoPeay," the video read.

Hansel Enmanuel is coming off rehabilitating an undisclosed back injury suffered in late November. The setback forced him to miss eight contests, including neutral-site matchups against the UT Arlington Mavericks and Georgia State Panthers.

Despite his return against the Ospreys, the 6-foot-4 player was restricted to just three minutes and one attempt, going scoreless.

This season, Enmanuel's best performance has been his opening season opener against Union (TN) Bulldogs. The guard scored eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, garnering eight rebounds, three steals and two assists.

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Why did Hansel Enmanuel transfer to Austin Peay Governors

Hansel Enmanuel rose to Division I basketball level while making a name for himself in the basketball community. He began his college career with the Northwestern State Demons, averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds, playing under nine minutes in 20 of the team’s 33 games.

However, lack of minutes or opportunity wasn't his key factor in entering the transfer portal in the upcoming summer. Enmanuel exited Northwestern State after the program had a fallout with its then-coach Corey Gipson, who proceeded to accept the head coaching role for the Governors.

"I am willing to wait and trust the process, even if it means waiting an entire season to achieve my goals," Enmanuel said to On3's Joe Tipton.

"I am grateful for my family, my teammates, my agency and especially my coaches and trainers who have supported me and guided me along the right path. I thank God for giving me the wisdom and strength to stay patient and to trust that everything happens for a reason."

Enmanuel was one of the eight program players who exited behind Gipson. He's averaging 4.4 points and 4.4 rebounds on over 55% shooting across his first five games of the season.