BARANGAY Ginebra suffered yet a major blow in its PBA Philippine Cup title-retention bid.
As if their current losing record is not enough, the Kings also missed the presence of big man Japeth Aguilar, who reportedly suffered a sprained MCL.
Japeth Aguilar knee injury update
The 34-year-old Aguilar didn’t suit up in the Kings’ crucial game against the Phoenix Fuel Masters at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym and was seen wearing a walking boot to protect his injured leg.
Joe Devance took the place of Aguilar in the team’s starting unit on Wednesday.
The injury comes at a time when the reigning all-Filipino champion are to make the playoffs with a 3-5 (win-loss) record for ninth place.
The Kings are coming off back-to-back losses against league leader TnT Tropang Giga and the San Miguel Beermen.
Coach Tim Cone disclosed Aguilar suffered the injury in the Kings' 88-67 loss to the Tropang Giga on Sunday.
"I think it was early fourth quarter when TnT was starting to pull away from us. I think we got down by seven, and then they stretched to like 12, and then Japeth had to come out of the game as he got bumped on the side of the knee," recalled Cone.
"That usually indicate an MCL injury," he added.
Cone said good thing, the injury was not as serious like an ACL.
"If it is an ACL injury, he would be out for six, eight, nine months. But it was an MCL, and those are less severe," said the Ginebra coach.
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