DAMIAN Chongqui returned to Macau for its final game of the PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup.
Chongqui played 33 minutes and finished with eight points and seven rebounds in the Black Knights' 105-98 win over the Fuelmasters, days after strangely leaving the venue during the fourth quarter of a match against Terrafirma last Saturday.
READ Macau coach clueless as to why Damian Chonqui left game early
Macau coach Marcus Elliott said the team has moved on from the incident involving Chongqui, but he also hinted that it had something to do with the Black Knights guard dealing with injuries all conference long.
“Whatever happened with that situation is between him and upper management,” said Elliott about the Chongqui incident in the Terrafirma game.
“But I know his leg and his calf muscle and all of that were a little bit strained. Because he has been tweaking his ankle almost every other game for whatever reason. I don't know if it's the shoes or just the play, the physicality, people landing on him,” said Elliott.
Chongqui got hurt again during the fourth quarter against the Fuelmasters and didn't return, but other players picked up the slack with Jenning Leung showing the way in the Black Knights win.
Elliott said the team had to limit Chongqui's activity in the lead-up to the Phoenix game so that he can be as fresh as possible.
“He's had a great attitude all week. Kinda iced him out of practice a little bit, kept his reps low so he can recover and doesn't injure himself, and we will see if he comes back the next conference,” said Elliott.
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