DASMARINAS, Cavite – Big man Isaac Go is out for the rest of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
Tim Cone doesn’t see the 28-year-old Go coming back to play even in the event the Kings make it all the way to the best-of-seven finals of the opening conference, describing the former Ateneo center's injury as like a small fracture in the kneecap.
“And if it’s true, then they might have to go in and have surgery,” said the Ginebra coach following the team’s 99-94 win over San Miguel Beer in Game 3 of their seven-game semis series.
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“No. there’s no way he will be available,” added Cone. “Still, we don’t have time for him to return yet. We don’t have a date.”
Go suffered the injury as he tried to defend rookie Felix Lemetti from attempting a shot from beyond the arc during the Ginebra-Rain or Shine game last Sept. 13.
He watched a Ginebra game once but showed up in crutches at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The 6-foot-7 Go said he was scheduled to take another MRI since the first test done on him was inconclusive due to the swelling.
But apparently it was worse than Go expected.
“They’re going to let him (Go) do some rehab for three weeks, then test it. They want to try the conservative approach first,” said Cone.
“So he’s going to get three more weeks of rest and rehab, and then they’ll going to put him on what they call a hop test, and after that they’ll decide whether they will continue that or go in to have surgery.”
Go's injury further depleted the Ginebra frontcourt which also lost 6-foot-7 forward Jamie Malonzo to a calf injury early this year.
“We don’t expect either of them to be ready unless something miraculous happens,” said Cone. “But will go with what we have right now.”
Go and Malonzo are part of the Kings’ injury brigade that also include guard Jeremiah Gray.
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