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    Mixed emotions as Slaughter bummed of slow recovery: 'I can't run or jump'

    Mixed emotions after getting Fiba approval
    Sep 8, 2018
    PHOTO: jerome ascaƱo

    GREG Slaughter felt relieved after surpassing the hurdle of his eligibility as he can play as a local Filipino player whenever he gets a chance to represent the men’s national basketball team in international tournaments,

    “I just got a lot of relief, you know, I’m just relieved to know that for the rest of my career that I’m eligible to play on our national team,” Slaughter told SPIN.ph after the FIBA Central Board issued their decision to approve the big man’s eligibility.

    But there is a tougher hurdle to pass through for the Filipino-American cager: his ankle injury he suffered in their previous PBA Governors' Cup game against NorthPort that sidelined him for the past trainings.

    “(It’s) taking a slow progress with it but right now, I’m still under the doctor’s orders to don’t mobilize it and just try to control the swelling right now,” Brgy. Ginebra’s big man said.

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      The 7-foot center insisted that it’s still a day-to-day process but he is hoping to fasttrack his recovery for him to be cleared against Iran in an away game on September 13.

      “I can’t really say right now, I’m just taking it day-by-day, I don’t wanna rule anything out now,” he said. “But I’m doing everything I can. Right now, I can’t run or jump but I’m doing everything I can to get the swelling out.”

      National team coach Yeng Guiao was happy with the good news but he is hoping for the speedy recovery of his big man for them to match the strength and length of Iranian star Hamed Haddadi.

      Slaugther felt regretful of the incident because he wanted to play for the country once again and give his best to stop Haddadi.

      “I really wanted to play too and I’m just really disappointed that this have to happen you know right before we went on the national team break,” he said. “It was a freak accident landing on someone’s body but I’m trying everything I can because I really wanted to play.”

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      As he continues to recover right before the Iran match, Slaughter is just grateful to get his eligibility as a local player for the Philippines.

      “I was really looking forward to this but you know right now I’m really happy with the eligibility cause now I know that in the future for the rest of my career I look forward to playing on the national team every opportunity I have,” he concluded.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      PHOTO: jerome ascaƱo
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