BEING one of the few remaining and active senior players in the Philippine Basketball Association, Ali Peek feels he is blessed about still being able to play and compete at a very high level.
And the 6-foot-4 power-forward certainly doesn’t mind playing limited minutes especially now that Talk `N Text has acquired a youthful big man in Rabeh Al-Hussaini after trading away disgruntled Japeth Aguilar.
“I think it’s been the same the last three years (playing limited minutes). But it’s never been an issue for me, whether I play 30 minutes or 40 minutes or 15 minutes, as long as the team wins,” he said.
Peek said at this stage in his career, playing time is no longer an issue for him so long as Talk `N Text continue to win championships while he’s still active.
Truth is, the Hawaii-born center is expected to see his minutes go down further considering that he’s expected to spell import Keith Benson once he returns to active duty.
The 6-foot-4 Peek though has been in the injured list right from the start of the Commissioner’s Cup after undergoing minor surgery on his left knee to drain some fluid out.
“It’s just a clean-up on my left knee, nothing serious,” Peek told Spin.ph matter-of-factly. “Now, I’m doing my rehab and hopefully, I‘ll be able to join the team before the playoffs.”
The soft-spoken man-mountain said he played through the pain for the past months, especially during the Tropang Texters’ tough and physical Philippine Cup semifinals series against the Alaska Aces.
Peek averaged 7.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 21 minutes of play for the Tropang Texters during the Philippine Cup where they bagged a third straight All-Filipino crown with four-game sweep of Rain or Shine in the Finals.
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