ANTIPOLO – San Miguel decided to sit out Juami Tiongson in its PBA Commissioner’s Cup game against Blackwater so as not to aggravate his recurring left groin injury.
“Precautionary measure lang,” said coach Leo Austria of the decision not to field in the high-scoring guard Sunday at the Ynares Center. “Sabi ng medical team namin medyo risky kung ilalaro siya kaya pinahinga na lang muna namin.”
READ SMB cruises past Blackwater for second win since Austria return
While the Beermen missed the presence of the 33-year-old Tiongson, it didn’t stop them from scoring a 115-102 victory against the Bossing to give Austria a 2-0 record since taking over the head coaching job over the weekend.
Tiongson was in uniform and spent the entire game on the San Miguel bench.
Austria said Tiongson still practiced with the Beermen on Saturday and could have actually played against Blackwater if his number was called.
“OK naman siya, pero ayaw naman namin ma-compromise yung future ng bata. Mas mahalaga pa rin yung health niya,” said Austria.
Tiongson later said it’s the same injury he had during his last few months with Terrafirma.
“Nung halftime ng game namin (against Terrafirma), naramdaman ko na siya. Yun din yung injury ko nung nasa Terrafirma pa ako,” he said.
Tiongson missed the Dyip’s last six games of the Governors’ Cup due to the injury. Shortly after, he was traded by the team to San Miguel along with Andreas Cahilig for the duo of Terrence Romeo and Vic Manuel.
The guard out of Ateneo played his first game under Austria on Friday in a 106-88 win over the Dyip and finished with 12 points and three assists on 5-of-9 shooting from the field including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
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