JAMIE Malonzo’s return will have to wait as the Barangay Ginebra player is slated to miss Sunday’s match against San Miguel in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup.
Malonzo was spotted in street clothes moments before the start of the Gin Kings’ clash against the Beermen. He later confirmed that he will not yet play for the match-up.
READ Cone explains why he didn't play fit-again Malonzo vs SMB
Malonzo was recently activated in the Ginebra roster, making him eligible to play for the Kings' first game of the year on Sunday against San Miguel.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone later explained the decision to sit the fit-again forward.
“He’s healthy. He’s ready to go. But he’s not in the proper true game shape yet. He’s not in proper rhythm to play,” said Cone.
Cone said that Malonzo's return will depend on how the player performs in the team's practices in the next two days.
Next up for the Gin Kings, which incidentally beat San Miguel last Sunday, 93-81. is NorthPort on Wednesday. If Malonzo plays, the game will have an added irony as it was against the very same team that Malonzo injured his calf in the dying seconds of their April 14 game last year.
The rehab took him all of nine months.
Right now, however, Cone's issue with Malonzo's return has got to do with the player's ryhthm. The coach also hinted that he was unsure on the exact date of the player's return as he and Ginebra's coaching staff continue to assess the player's progress.
“It could be any game. But right now, he is healthy and he is cleared by the trainers. But now, it’s about getting into game shape for him,” Cone said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
