A LAST-MINUTE clearance from doctors had Jordan Heading finally making his much-awaited debut with TNT in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The rookie shooting guard admitted his hurting back felt fine since coming back from Australia. That prompted the Tropang 5G to test the water on Sunday night against no less than Barangay Ginebra in a marquee rematch of the their Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup battles in the finals.
READ Ginebra spoils Jordan Heading debut for TNT with blowout win
“They (Tropang 5G) had taken me to their doctors and they cleared me,” said Heading of the circumstances that led to his first game with the franchise since being acquired in a trade with Converge for Mikey Williams.
“Coach (Chot Reyes) told me to be ready tonight (but) I wasn’t sure if I was going to play.”
Heading did, and finished with 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists in a lopsided 97-78 loss to the Kings that snapped the team’s six-game winning streak.
The game marked the first time the 29-year-old Fil-Australian played since Game 3 of the Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals between Converge and Rain or Shine, where his back spasm began acting up.
The injury kept him in the sidelines while still with Converge, and initially appeared doubtful to play for TNT in its remaining games in the eliminations shortly after being acquired in the trade.
But Heading said suiting up in the Ginebra game is a way of testing his troublesome back.
“Obviously, time is ticking and the playoffs is just around the corner. So we just wanted to get my feet wet,” shared the former No. 1 overall pick in the special Gilas draft. “I just wanted to fast track getting into game shape and there’s no better way than to get in the game.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the result TNT wanted as it suffered its fourth loss in 10 outings and put the team in danger of missing a Top 4 finish and the twice-to-beat advantage that goes with it.
For Heading though, TNT just have to move on from the loss.
“Obviously not the way we wanted to go, but that’s life. We just got to go back to the drawing boards,” he said.
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