DEFENDING champion San Mig Coffee’s 76-71 win over Meralco in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Friday was dampened by a suspected MCL injury suffered by big man Joe Devance.
“In my assessment, it looks like a strained MCL (Median Collateral Ligament),” said San Mig Coffee team doctor Raffy Sanchez after an initial look at Devance's injured knee.
The 6-foot-7 forward hurt his left knee when he went up against Meralco’s Cliff Hodge as the high-flying rookie was about to take off for a dunk early in the third period.
Devance crumpled on the floor in pain, and was carried out of the court on the way to San Mig's locker room at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
A medical team immediately applied first aid on the San Mig Coffee veteran, who never made it back to the game.
“For now we have to rest him,” said Sanchez. “It’s too painful and we have to ice it and immobilize his leg.”
Devance is set to undergo MRI test first thing in the morning on Saturday to determine the exact extent of damage.
“We will schedule an MRI first thing in the morning tomorrow (Saturday),” said Sanchez.
Apart from Devance, another San Mig Coffee player in rookie Alex Mallari also suffered an injury when he sprained his right ankle midway through the fourth quarter as Hodge fell on top of him following a rebound battle.
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