IT hasn’t even started, yet Barangay Ginebra’ campaign in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup already hit a snag as one of its top playmakers could miss the team’s conference debut against Phoenix on Saturday in Davao.
Sol Mercado is listed as questionable due to a minor knee injury he sustained in a collision with Mark Caguioa in practice on Wednesday.
“He tweaked his knee yesterday in practice,” Gin Kings coach Tim Cone said after the team's training on Thursday.
Cone said the 32-year-old Mercado, who is one-third of the Gin Kings’ backcourt trio with LA Tenorio and Scottie Thompson, tried to take part in their last training session on Thursday before leaving for Davao, but couldn’t give it a go.
“He started to practice, but he started feeling some pain on some cuts he was doing, so we took him out of practice,” Cone said. “Right now, we don’t know if he’s going to be available on Saturday or not.”
“It’s fifty-fifty,” he added. “We’ll see if he can have full practice tomorrow.”
The Gin Kings are boarding a 9 a.m. flight to Davao on Friday, proceeding to practice in the afternoon at the University of Southeastern Philippines gym on the eve of their matchup with the Fuel Masters at the same venue.