JACOB Cortez had spent two games waiting to get back on the floor.
La Salle had kept on winning, beating UST then Ateneo, while he recovered from injuries to his right knee and hamstring.
Still, of course, Cortez wanted back in sooner than later.
The Green Archers, knowing what was at stake with their playoff push - let alone, their title defense - hanging in the balance, would not let him return until they believed he was ready.
By Sunday against National U, apparently, he was.
"I wanted to actually return earlier, but they didn't really want to let me unless I was 100-percent. I told them I'm ready today," he responded to a SPIN.ph question on whether his eventual comeback came earlier than expected or right on time.
The comeback was never going to be as simple as picking up where he left off. The primetime playmaker finished with eight points in 18 minutes in DLSU's 84-80 - which dropped it to 6-5 and let the Bulldogs hold on to solo second at 8-3.
READ: NU hangs tough vs La Salle to hold on to solo second
And then, in the fourth quarter, another scare.
"My hamstring and knee, it's a lot better. Thank God I was able to play today, but then again, I got hurt in the fourth quarter," he said. "But it wasn't my previous injury naman, so I'm just glad to be back."
Back to rest and recovery
For now, Cortez and La Salle are taking the comeback one day at a time. With a full week before their next game against increasingly desperate Adamson, there is time for his body to rest and recover.
The good news is that the wait is over, and it's now a matter of the Green Archers' lead guard imposing his will again, all while the defending champions try to extend their reign into the Final Four.
"I’m finding that form, especially after playing this game for what could be, siguro, Final Four, if we win all our games," he said.
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