JUAN Gomez de Liano bared that he’s slowly getting back to form after being shelved early in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup due to a right knee bone contusion.
Gomez de Liano missed three games, all of which Converge lost, no thanks to the injury before returning last week against Rain or Shine and finished with 14 points, but shot just 5-of-15 from the field.
He fared a lot better in his second game back, as the FiberXers broke out of their five-game slide with a 103-82 win over Titan Ultra, firing 15 points on a more efficient 4-of-10 clip while grabbing seven boards.
READ: Converge finally snaps out of five-game slump by drubbing Titan
“Around 70-percent,” GDL answered when SPIN.ph asked about his knee.
“I’m getting there. As long as it’s not getting any worse, [I’m fine], there’s always progress every day. Always trying to get one-percent better. I’m about 70-percent still, but slowly getting back to game shape.”
The star rookie’s improving status is a welcome development for a Converge squad that needs all the good news it can get, as it makes one last push for the playoffs.
Currently, the FiberXers are at 10th-place with a 2-5 record, as five games remain in the elimination round. A rough two-game stretch awaits them, starting with Magnolia on Sunday before facing TNT next Wednesday.
Here comes Converge
Tough as it may sound, Gomez de Liano remains upbeat about their chances.
“We’re taking it one game at a time at this point. We’re trying to make the playoffs, maybe the eighth, seventh, sixth seed. I think we still have a good chance if we stick together and do the right things,” he said.
“As you’ve said, every game’s gonna be crucial for us. We just have to continue to work together and hopefully, God-willing, things will pan out for us.”
And this breakthrough win over the Giant Risers might have just given them the blueprint to make that one final push.
“Just being able to stick together through the ups and downs. I feel like it’s a major key for us. Locking in more on defense. That’s what we've been working on for the past three or four days,” he shared.
“I feel like if we’re all on the same page, good things will follow so I’m glad we got the W."
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.
