SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – Wondering why Arth dela Cruz has not yet suited up for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA bubble?
The forward is suffering from a hamstring tear, which unfortunately, he suffered when individual workouts among teams began the last week of August.
But coach Tim Cone expects Dela Cruz to finally suit up behind managed minutes when the Philippine Cup eliminations resume Tuesday at the Angeles University Foundation gym.
The 28-year-old native of San Miguel, Bulacan was supposed to play his first bubble outing last Friday against San Miguel before the league announced the four-day postponement of the games in compliance with the recommendations made by the IATF on PBA protocols.
Now, Dela Cruz could make his season debut for the Kings against Alaska.
Cone said his coaching staff is ready to play the former San Beda stalwart at least 12 to 15 minutes at the most as he recuperates from his hamstring injury.
It also augured well for him the brief break taken by the league starting last weekend.
“Good for him it gave him an extra day or two to get ready,” said Cone of Dela Cruz.
The Ginebra coach said the injury has bothered the combo forward since last year.
“He had it during last season and he’s set out for almost two months with that hamstring,” he said.
“We thought it’s going to get healed, but during the cluster practices, he tore it again.”
It’s the reason why Dela Cruz had to sit out the first half of the Kings’ campaign in the elims, which saw Ginebra win its first four games before losing in back-to-back fashion.
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