CHICAGO - It's the question every collegiate hoops fan wants to know: What ails Jerom Lastimosa?
A reliable source told SPIN.ph tonight that an MRI taken this morning confirmed an ACL tear.
The saga of the most talked about left knee in the UAAP began last September 11 when I broke the news that Lastimosa sustained a non-contact injury at the Falcons' practice facility.
READ: Lastimosa suffers another knee injury right in return
Ten days later, I was told, by Jerom himself, regarding an ACL issue and that he was supposedly informed by a doctor that it wasn't a full tear, just a partial tear.
Because there is no protocol in place in the UAAP that compels schools to disclose or discuss a player's injury, Adamson elected to keep mum rather than be transparent.
As whispers about the severity of the injury grew louder, the Falcons doubled down and left the door open for Lastimosa to resume playing.
"People assume a lot of things but we are not moved," Adamson coach Nash Racela told reporters last October 7. "If you see his therapy and the drills he's doing baka sabihin: 'Bakit hindi pa naglaro yan.'"
INGLORIOUS RETURN
With that as a backdrop, Jerom made his Season 86 debut last night. It quickly turned into a horror show as Jerom exited the game against UP, unable to walk on his own power, his agonized face draped with a towel.
At the post-game press conference, coach Nash clammed up like a crustacean. Gone was the bravado. Gone was the stubborn defiance that his star point guard was gonna be just fine.
I consider Racela a friend. In fact, I was among those who offered him a sympathetic shoulder when he was unceremoniously dumped by Blackwater in September of 2021.
But what happened to Jerom is a terrible incident that could have been avoided.
I've been told of the pressure for Jerom to play this season. And while I understand the desire to win, a line should be drawn when it comes to players' safety.
Unlike money, which can be fleeting as acquaintances, the consequences of trifling with a health condition has a permanence that can be life altering.
EXPERT OPINION
A prominent surgeon who specializes in ACL surgeries told me that the diagnosis of a partial ACL tear is "very subjective" and the decision to resume playing is a "personal choice as long as he is aware of the risks."
The bone doctor also pointed out the importance of establishing the stability of the knee to make a determination "if it is surgical."
In other words, Jerom's return to duty was fair game. But why tempt fate?
Jerom has a standing offer to play overseas once he's done with his college career. That opportunity to take care of his family is now seriously compromised.
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