ANTIPOLO – LA Tenorio hopes starting big man Zavier Lucero will be available to play come the PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals beginning on Sunday.
The team said the 6-foot-7 Lucero sprained his ankle in practice, forcing him to miss the Hotshots’ final game of the eliminations - a 107-103 win over Rain or Shine on Wednesday night at the Ynares Center.
Lucero watched the game from the Magnolia bench in street clothes as his ankle remains swollen two days since suffering the injury.
READ Magnolia beats ROS to secure No. 1 seed, seal quarterfinal vs TNT
“We’re hoping, we’re praying that he’ll be available,” said Tenorio of the Gilas Pilipinas forward. “It’s a sprained ankle. Namaga agad siya, e.
“Hindi naman ganun kalala, pero namaga agad kasi siya. So mahirap din namang pilitin.”
Tenorio said Lucero, 27, went down with the injury on a freak accident.
“Walang naapakan na paa. Solo lang siya, pero biglang nag-slip siya. Tapos ayun nga, namaga na agad yung paa,” said the Magnolia coach.
Right now, Tenorio has ordered a round-the-clock monitoring of Lucero’s injury.
“Pinatutok ko na sa mga therapists namin para makalaro siya sa quarterfinals. Kita mo naman kanina, hirap kami sa mga malalaki ng Rain or Shine,” noted the Magnolia coach as the Hotshots were outrebounded by the Elasto Painters, 51-46, including a 14-7 discrepancy on the offensive boards.
“If we play on Sunday, sana makalaro na siya.”
The 6-foot-7 Lucero is the Hotshot’s leading local scorer with an average of 16.0 points, along with 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
Finishing with a 7-3 record, Magnolia emerged as the no. 1 seeded team in Group B, arranging a best-of-five quarterfinal against Group A fourth seed and defending champion TNT.
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