UAAP breaks a chance to nurse injured players back to full health
AFTER nonstop action since September, teams are making the most out of a much-needed break to heal up, recharge, and brace for tougher competition with five games to go in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 basketball tournament.
While the pause in action affords no consolation for Jerom Lastimosa of Adamson, who’s out for the season due to an ACL injury, a number of other players might seize the chance to relieve themselves of assorted aches and pains as the race to the Final Four heats up in the second round.
National University’s Jolo Manansala (groin) and Steve Nash Enriquez (jaw), JD Cagulangan (quad) and CJ Cansino (flu) of the University of the Philippines are also nursing injuries. Mr. Enriquez is expected to be out for a month while Mr. Cagulangan and Mr. Cansino are anticipated to return in the resumption of play Saturday after the week-long break.
“The break will be really welcome for us, not just us but I guess the whole UAAP because players are tired,” said Falcons mentor Nash Racela, noting the rigid schedule for all teams so far for more than a month and counting.
“I don’t think it’s an accident. Marami doon is because napapagod na rin sila so this will be a good break for not just us but for the whole UAAP.”
Mr. Lastimosa will have surgery for his torn ACL on his left knee but is likely to delay it until after the season to be with the squad in an attempt to make another Final Four run without him.
“So we should all pray that, I know God probably doesn’t care too much about basketball, and I would not blame Him for that, but you know, if a quantum of prayers help our players stay healthy, that’s a good thing,” added Tab Baldwin after a narrow 65-60 loss to the crippled UP side as Ateneo absorbed its fifth loss for only the first time under his watch.
The Lastimosa-less Adamson, which is tied with Ateneo at 4-5 for the No. 4 spot, resumes its drive against listless Santo Tomas (1-8) while the Blue Eagles take on the second-running Bulldogs (7-2) on Saturday.
On Sunday, leader UP (8-1) collides with the streaking La Salle (6-3), at No. 3, while Far Eastern U (3-6) and University of the East (3-6) battle in a key match-up to stay in Final Four contention. —John Bryan Ulanday
