AMID the jubilation over TNT’s Game One win over Rain or Shine in their PBA Governors Cup semifinals duel, the Tropang Giga are keeping their fingers crossed that veteran Kelly Williams can get back in the series after hurting his calf on Wednesday night.
The former MVP went down with the injury in the latter part of the opening period, was promptly taken out of the game, and never returned.
READ TNT wears down error-prone Rain or Shine in Game One
Frustration was written on the face of the 42-year-old forward when he retreated to the Tropang Giga's bench, unable to control his emotion as he repeatedly pounded on the Pocari Sweat cooler with his fist that caught the TNT side by surprise, including chairman Ricky Vargas who just arrived for the series opener.
He later went out and stayed in the stairway leading to the team dugout followed by TNT physical therapists led by Dexter Aseron.
Teammates Ryan Reyes CJ Payawal, and Almond Vosotros tried to console Williams, who kept his head vowed while trying to get his thoughts.
After a while, he proceeded to have the hurtling leg checked at the dugout.
“When our PT examined, that’s the initial diagnosis,” said Reyes. “It was Kelly who said he felt something.
“Unfortunately, he missed that wide open lay-up and he tweaked something in his left calf muscle,” added Reyes of the sequence before Williams went out. “We hope it’s nothing serious, but he couldn’t put any weight on it.”
Waiting game for Kelly
The 6-foot-6 former Gilas Pilipinas player only had a rebound to show in the six minutes he played on the court.
He later went back and joined the rest of the Tropang Giga on the bench and saw the team take a 90-81 win over the Elasto Painters.
Reyes said further check-up will be made on the Fil-Am big man to diagnose his real condition.
“So we’re praying its something he can recover from, that’s the reason we sat him out,” said the TNT coach. “You know Kelly is our primary import defender and we need a lot of him. Good thing we got good games from Poy (Erram) and Henry Galinato.”
Williams only has a day to recover before Game 2 of the best-of-seven series set on Friday.
“All we can do now is hope,” said Reyes.
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