SAN Miguel played against Magnolia without an import on Sunday in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup eliminations.
Justin Patton was not spotted during the shootaround and pregame warm-ups minutes before tip-off against the Hotshots.
The Beermen later admitted that they are considering briging back Bennie Boatwright as they lost to Clint Chapman and Magnolia, 120-101, on Sunday.
READ SMB admits Boatwright under consideration as Patton 'goes AWOL'
A source said Patton didn’t attend Saturday’s practice and can’t be contacted by the team.
Unless Patton arrives at the last minute against Magnolia, San Miguel will have no choice but play all-Filipino in a crucial game for playoff positioning.
Sports5 later reported that Patton hasn't shown up in practice for the past three days due to an "illness."
Still, San Miguel officials expressed dismay that their import didn't show up during the warm-ups on Sunday.
Patton is coming off a disappointing performance last Wednesday when he shot 5-of-13 from the field, scoring just 12 points in a 116-112 loss to Rain or Shine.
He picked up four quick fouls early and was in and out of the bench the rest of the game, his body language growing worse after every minute he spent on the bench.
A replacement for the ineffective Marcus Lee, the seven-foot Patton also missed a four-point shot and a three-point attempt at the height of an SMB comeback.
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