Gilas Pilipinas tactician Yeng Guia ruled out Marcio Lassiter from making the FIBA World Cup roster due to his ongoing recovery from a knee injury sustained during San Miguel Beer’s title run in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Guiao said on Friday that Lassiter has made only little progress a month since spraining his left (Medial Collateral Ligament) MCL while blocking a shot during the Beermen’s quarterfinal win over the NorthPort Batang Pier.
The national team mentor had earlier hoped for a minor miracle in order for the 32-year old to make it in time for the Aug. 31 opener against Italy in Foshan, China.
“Nag-usap na kami, di sya aabot. Sabi ko sa kanya na pakiramdaman nya. Sabi nya mahirap kasi pag tine-test nya tuhod nya medyo kumakalog.
Yeng Guiao, Coach Gilas Pilipinas
Sabi ko don’t risk it.”
Lassiter, though very disappointed agreed that it was better to focus on long-term than trying to push himself into making the Gilas cut for the World Cup. “It’s not the way I like to feel. I don’t know how to describe but the feel is off. It’s not stable. That’s just going to take time” said Lassiter.
“I worked hard to train my body and do the things that I can necessary [to get better]. It hurts more than anything. I had a freak accident in the air and it landed wrong. It wasn’t nothing I could have done. When I got hurt, I didn’t want to get hurt, but it happened. The road to recovery is just going to be a process. It’s not something that I don’t want to force, but at the same time, I know that if it’s doable, I’m going to go out there” added Lassiter. Lassiter, though, vowed that his injury will not get in the way of him supporting Gilas. “I’ll always be there cheering, supporting, and making sure that I can always help in other ways,” he said.
With additional reports from Jonas Terrado, Manila Bulletin and Delfin Dioquino, Rappler.com
Pictures from:
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