Chris Newsome injured as Meralco fights for dear life in 1-3 dilemma

NURSING injuries at this crucial time of the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals, all Chris Newsome and RR Pogoy could do is help their respective teams in whatever way they could for now.

Mr. Newsome is dealing with an MCL sprain on his left knee, an injury that might take three to five weeks of recovery, making him doubtful as Meralco fights for dear life in a 1-3 predicament against TNT.

Mr. Pogoy took an exit barely a minute into action in the first period of the Tropang 5G’s 102-83 rout of the Mr. Newsome-less Bolts on Sunday, sustaining a Grade 1 left hamstring strain that could sideline him for two weeks.

“Right now it’s just going through the recovery process and taking the precautions I need to do for me to be able to get back on the court, listening to the team doctors and just taking it one step at a time until I’m able to get back on the court,” said Mr. Newsome. “As of now, that’s the diagnosis and just got to go with that and wish my team luck for now.”

The Gilas Pilipinas mainstay, who hurt his knee in their 97-89 win in Game 3, came into the fourth match with a heavily-protected left knee and busied himself with bench and off-court duties.

“I’m going to do whatever I can to try to help, whether that’s being out there physically. If I can’t do that, then I’m definitely going to use my voice. As you guys saw tonight, I’m standing up. I’m basically another assistant coach while I’m not able to go out there and play,” he said.

“But I know the guys trust me. They trust what I see out there. They’re always asking me for advice so I’m willing to give that advice. But it’s going to take a complete team effort for us to try to turn this thing around.”

Mr. Newsome admitted Wednesday’s fifth match would be “a tough one to really reach.”

“But it does help that we have those extra days in between the game. So I’ll be doing my share of recovery work from now until Wednesday to see if I can get out on the court,” he said.

Mr. Pogoy, who’s been dealing with hamstring issues since the previous season’s All-Filipino, ruled himself out of TNT’s closeout attempt in Game 5.

Notes: The PBA slapped Converge players Justine Baltazar and Mark Omega and assistant coach Humperdinck Dimatulac with a P20,000 fine each, The trio were sanctioned for making “cooking” gestures during the FiberXers’ knockout quarterfinal game against Barangay Ginebra that they lost in overtime, 98-99. — Olmin Leyba