RISING San Beda stalwart Jomel Puno was ready to go in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball Final Four, but the school opted not to field him anyway.
It’s health above everything else for the Red Lions.
“Of course, yung health ng bata ayaw din naming i-risk especially yung future niya is very bright and may potential siya,” said Red Lions coach Yuri Escueta about the decision to sit out the 6-foot-6 forward in the team’s must-win game against College of St. Benilde Blazers on Saturday.
“So ayaw naming i-risk yung injury niya.”
Still recovering from an ankle injury, the Fil-Canadian player showed up in street clothes at the Cuneta Astrodome and watched as the Red Lions went down against the Blazers, 79-63, and yielded their men’s basketball crown.
Escueta said Puno is 90 percent ready to play.
“Puwede siyang maglaro na ngayon. Tumatakbo na siya, e,” said Escueta. “Hindi nga lang siya 100 percent.”
Puno apparently hurt the ankle in San Beda’s 79-70 loss to San Sebastian in its final outing in the eliminations last week.
Relegated as the no. 3 seeded team, the Red Lions need to win twice in a row against the Blazers to make it back to the finals.
They were hoping to pull this one off against the Blazers in the hope of forcing a sudden-death set to be played on Wednesday also at the Astrodome where Puno is certain to play, according to Escueta.
“Kung umabot kami sa Wednesday game, yun makakalaro na siya,” said the San Beda coach.
“Pero ngayon puwede na siyang mag-pahinga.”
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