INJURIES are fast becoming an issue for Gilas Pilipinas and Blackwater, too.
According to team insiders, top rookie Mac Belo aggravated an old knee injury that could keep him out of the the Elite's PBA Commissioner's Cup game against TnT Katropa on Friday and put his stint with the national team in doubt.
"He's not playing on Friday," a team insider shared to SPIN.ph.
"Medyo malabo na siya sa Gilas," the same source added.
Belo is the second major player of Blackwater to go down with an injury. Earlier Art dela Cruz ruptured his Achilles during a Gilas training camp in Tagaytay that will keep him out of the the entire mid-season tournament.
Unlike dela Cruz who needed to undergo surgery, Belo's injury was an old one. He suffered it during the Philippine Cup and aggravated recently, team sources revealed.
Belo still showed up in Gilas' weekly practice last Monday at the Meralco gym, but his future with a team preparing for the Seaba championships in May is now in question.
"Old injury niya na yun na bumalik," said the Blackwater source. "Last game hindi na maganda. Actually, last conference medyo masama na."
The highly-touted rookie is set to undergo MRI on Thursday.
The 6-foot-4 product of Far Eastern University is the fourth member of the 24-man Gilas pool to suffer an injury after dela Cruz, Paul Lee, and Russel Escoto.
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