PERHAPS no one will now question how committed Marcio Lassiter is to playing for the Philippine men’s basketball team.
The sweet-shooting wingman decided to have the cut above his left eye stitched in order to be able to suit up for Team Pilipinas’ closed-door game against Qatar Monday night in the Fiba World Cup qualifiers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Lassiter had the cut sewn while the team was holed up for 12 hours in Dubai waiting for its delayed flight back to Manila due to Typhoon Ompong.
“Marcio went to the airport clinic during our stopover in Dubai because blood was still oozing from his left eyebrow,” related Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio as he watched Lassiter and the rest of Team Pilipinas practice at the Smart Araneta Coliseum a day before they face the Qataris.
“He decided to have it (cut) stitched to close the gap and for him to be able to play again against Qatar.
The 31-year-old forward of San Miguel was a bloody mess during the Filipinos’ game against Iran last week after being hit by a wayward elbow of Arsalan Kazemi. The national team lost the game, 81-73, as Lassiter struggled from the floor behind a 1-of-9 shooting.
Despite the cut and his vision impaired, Lassiter, who had come under fire from basketball fans for failing to suit up for previous national teams, insisted on playing and finishing the game.
“He could have easily quit and stopped playing, but he just shrugged it off and told the team that he will finish the game,” said Team Pilipinas chief scout Ryan Gregorio, who also serves as Special Assistant to Panlilio.
“His vision was impaired by the injury, but he played tough defense all throughout the game and he served as an inspiration to the rest of the team.”
Although there’s a little bit of swelling on the injured eye, Lassiter went on and join the team practice on Sunday.
“It’s a deep cut but it’s already been stitched up and he’s ready to play,” said coach Yeng Guiao.
The effort earned him a praises from Panlilio.
“Marcio personified what commitment is all about,” said the SBP chief. “It’s the character the SBP strongly espouses. We just don’t want players who are interested, we love players who are committed. We embrace players who leave everything on the floor and sacrifice for flag and country.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
