WHILE the PBA break disrupted the momentum gained by San Miguel Beer in the Philippine Cup, it nonetheless gave the team the time for players to recover physically and mentally.
The month-long respite in the season somehow allowed some of the hurting Beermen to recuperate and be ready again when action in the league resumes on Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University in Bacolor, Pampanga.
High-scoring guard Terrence Romeo is finally expected to suit up against Terrafirma in their 3 p.m. encounter after going down with a hyper-extended knee in the Beermen’s first game of the season against Meralco.
San Miguel physical therapist Edward Bacason said Romeo is ready to play again, although veteran guard Alex Cabagnot will not be seeing action as he still has to fully recover from his back injury.
But even with Cabagnot out, team manager Gee Abanilla said the rest somehow rejuvenated the Beermen going into the grueling resumption with five playdates a week.
Terrence Romeo
San Miguel has not played since a 99-80 win over Blackwater on July 28 at the Ynares Center in Pasig, to cap a three-game winning run for a 3-1 slate. The Beermen’s only loss were against the Bolts, 93-87.
“It’s a matter of perspective. Sometimes you see it na sayang, kasi yung momentum is there already. Pero if you look at the other side of the coin, it gave us a chance para maka-recover (from injuries),” said Abanilla, mentioning Romeo, Cabagnot, and Mo Tautuaa among those who somehow benefited after getting some rest from the conference break.
And then there’s the case of big man June Mar Fajardo, who’s still grieving the loss of his beloved mother, Marites Fajardo.
“Ito hindi ko alam kasi psychological yung problem, and emotionally devastated yung tao. I don’t know how will that affect (him),” added the San Miguel official of the six-time MVP, who nonetheless joined the team in the Pampanga semi-bubble.
“But I would like to look at it in a different way, na hopefully if we do things right, and nakapag-pakundisyon naman kami, we’ll be able to pick up from where we left off.”
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