Cañada’s knee OK as ABL finals shifts to Indonesia

Jerick Canada shoots a jumper. Photo from Aseanbasketballleague.com

MANILA, Philippines— The Indonesia Warriors can breathe a sigh of relief as guard Jerick Cañada’s injury was no more than a bruised knee.

A series of tests confirmed that there was no damage in Cañada’s left knee, which he hurt early in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 65-66 setback to San Miguel in game two of the Asean Basketball League (ABL) finals.

Cañada was rushed to St. Lukes Medical Center Sunday to get his knee checked and returned on Monday to meet with Dr. George Canlas, a known sports physician.

“I’m okay. He had me go through a physical test. There’s no more pain. My knee is just bruised,” said Cañada in Cebuano in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

“[Doc Canlas] said I just need strengthening. I can play [in the next game],” he added.

Cañada is the only Filipino in the roster of Indonesia, which is down 0-2 in its title retention bid against the Beermen. Incidentally, he’s a former player of San Miguel coach Leo Austria in Adamson.

Austria said Sunday that Cañada’s departure was a “big factor” because the Cebuano guard “was hitting his threes and he can contain our point guards.”

Game three of the best-of-five finals is set on Wednesday as the series shifts to the Warriors’ homecourt at Mahaka Square in Indonesia.