THE moment he went down with a knee injury midway through the PBA Philippine Cup Finals, Jayson Castro knew there was no way he was going to play again even if the TnT Tropang Giga were able to force a winner-take-all Game 7 against Barangay Ginebra.
He was actually fortunate enough to last four games.
Even before the best-of-seven title series kicked off, there were lingering doubts whether the 34-year-old acknowledged leader of TnT was healthy enough to suit up against the Kings.
“Akala ko nga hindi na ako makakalaro sa finals,” said Castro, looking back.
Already bothered by a calf injury earlier in the eliminations, his condition worsened as bone spurs brought unbearable pain to both his knees, limiting his movement from the playoffs onwards.
Castro said the bone spurs began to bother him during the Tropang Giga’s game against the Meralco Bolts late in the eliminations.
But the warrior in him compelled ‘The Blur’ to play through the pain, allowing him to help TnT dispose of Alaska in the quarterfinals, and surviving a 1-2 deficit in the semis to oust Phoenix and arrange a finals showdown with Ginebra.
Castro, however, wasn’t 100 percent fit when the stake was finally at its highest.
“Hirap akong tumalon, pati pagtakbo nahihirapan din ako,” he said.
Everything took its toll in the third quarter of Game 4 and TnT trailing 1-2 in the series.
With the Tropang Giga staring at a 41-56 deficit, Castro drove hard to the basket and issued a pass to Poy Erram before landing awkwardly and falling to the baseline underneath the TnT basket.
He was writhing in pain as he laid on the floor and had to be assisted on the way to the bench as he couldn’t walk on his own.
It was clear the bone spurs in both his knees had worsened.
“Hindi na talaga kaya. Kahit pain reliever hindi na umuubra,” said Castro, who was hoping to lead TnT to end a five-year title drought. “Adrenaline na lang talaga nagdala sa akin.”
Castro never returned and the Kings were quick to take advantage, finishing off the Tropang Giga in five games behind an 82-78 title-clinching win.
TnT physical therapist Dexter Aseron later on confirmed Castro was due for surgery shortly after the holidays.
“Jayson will most likely have his bone spurs removed by the first week of January,” he said. “And a full month also for his recovery.”
Get well soon, The Blur.
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