RAIN or Shine is bracing for the worst following a leg injury to Denzel Bowles in Saturday’s victory over Alaska.
Head coach Caloy Garcia said Bowles felt a crack in his left knee after he collided with Jeron Teng during the second quarter of the Elastopainters’ 86-84 win over the Aces.
“Halftime pa lang, dinala na siya sa ospital,” said Garcia after the game. “Something cracked in his knee. Most probably, he will be out.”
Garcia said it was unfortunate that Bowles suffered the injury a day after the Rain or Shine import spoke to the team in a bid to snap out of a two-game losing skid.
“Sayang because yesterday, it was the first time that he really talked to everybody. He is a very silent type of import but he can feel in yesterday. Medyo malakas boses pa niya that he really feels that we are a really good team,” said Garcia.
“He has the locals that play the way they play in the All-Filipino and he is here to help us all the way,” said Garcia.
Nevertheless, Garcia lauded the locals for stepping up in Bowles absence. The Rain or Shine coach bared the Elastopainters even practice on Thursday without Bowles with the team in dire need of contributions from the locals.
“Halftime, I have to get mad at the players. I told them we have to compete and we actually practiced Thursday without Denzel. Sabi ko sa kanila, how we practiced on Thursday, we have to bring it in the second half in order to get a chance. Hats off to the players. They really played their hearts out,” Garcia said.
Garcia also mentioned Sidney Onwubere, who played for the first time this conference and finished five points in seven minutes.
“Sidney hasn’t played the whole conference and he gave us huge, quality minutes. And then, in the second half, we played better offensively and defensively,” said Garcia.
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