ALASKA will be opening the PBA Commissioner’s Cup without top center Sonny Thoss, who is out due to an injury on his right plantar fascia.
The 6-foot-7 Thoss said he has managed to play through his injury during Alaska's run in the season-opening Philippine Cup, which saw the Aces lose to eventual champions San Miguel Beermen in seven games in the finals.
“It (plantar fascia on his right heel) was the injury I had last conference so I’ve been doing some therapy (since the conference break). The doctors advised me to rest it,” the 33-year-old Thoss told Spin.ph.
Thoss will be missing the team’s conference-opening debut against defending champion Purefoods Star on Tuesday. For the time being, Thoss said he's been listed as day-to-day.
The Hotshots opened the conference with an emphatic 83-70 win over GlobalPort Batang Pier last week, behind stand-in import Marqus Blakely, who debuted with 26 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks.
[See Goodye, Marqus, hello, Daniel for Purefoods]
Without Thoss, veteran forward Gabby Espinas is expected to step up since recovering from a fractured right ankle that kept him out of the entire Philippine Cup.
“Gabby is good to go. He’s been ready to play,” added Thoss, nicknamed “the Boss”.
Aside from the 6-foot-4 Espinas, the Aces have enough warm bodies at front court to help out import DJ Covington like Eric Menk, Sam Eman, Vic Manuel and 'The Beast' Calvin Abueva.
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