Rain or Shine’s Araña still unsure for Game 3 due to shoulder injury

Rain or Shine’s Ryan Araña tells teammate Raymond Almazan how he injured his left shoulder just moments after the Elasto Painters’ practice Monday inside the Northeast Greenhills village in San Juan. Araña suffered the injury in the first quarter of the Painters’ 70-80 loss in Game 2. Mark Giongco

MANILA, Philippines — Rain or Shine swingman Ryan Araña remains doubtful for Game 3 of the 2014 PBA Philippine Cup Finals due to a shoulder injury.

Araña hurt his left shoulder after taking a hit on a screen set by San Mig Coffee’s bony center Rafi Reavis in the Elasto Painters’ 70-80 loss to the Mixers last Sunday in Game 2.

“Yesterday I had it checked and the X-ray came out negative, there’s not a lot of damage,” Araña, who had a sling on his left shoulder, told INQUIRER.net just moments after watching his team go on a two-hour practice at the Northeast Greenhills Sports Complex in San Juan Monday.

Though, the initial findings had Araña momentarily breathe a sigh of relief, he said the team’s physical therapist fears a possible “torn ligament” and that’s what Araña is hoping to avoid.

“Today I’ll have it checked because our PT’s finding is that it might be a torn ligament and that’s what we’re trying to avoid because if it’s torn ligament that would take a long recovery, most likely around a month or three weeks,” said Araña.

A month or even three weeks of recuperation would be enough for Araña to miss the Painters championship series with the pivotal third game set on Wednesday.

The former De La Salle University standout is hopeful his injury would be just a minor case so that we could return to the lineup as early as Game 4.

“I’m hoping it’s just a sprained shoulder so I would be able to return at least for Game 4 to help the team.”

Though unsure, the rugged slotman Araña isn’t discounting the idea of being able to suit up in Game 3.

“It will depend on the result of my checkup later. If it’s not a severe injury, I’ll force myself to play but just to be sure I’d be back perhaps in Game 4, if ever.”

The six-foot-one Araña started at the small forward spot before asking to be subbed out late in the first quarter right after hurting his shoulder. He immediately went to a hospital to have it checked and did not return.

He did not score in nine minutes but his services — one of the better slashers in the league and a tough defender — were missed as Rain or Shine struggled on both ends.

“I watched the second half in the hospital and it was tough because I see my teammates really wanting to win the game and I couldn’t do anything to help them, it was painful, said the 30-year-old Araña.

Araña, who’s also known to love the physical kind of game, didn’t want to rule himself out on Wednesday with the series tied at 1-1, but the way he sounded appeared he’d likely miss Game 3.

“I trust my teammates that they can do it even without me,” he said.

RELATED STORIES

Rain or Shine suffers double whammy with Araña ‘doubtful’ for Game 3 

San Mig Coffee beats Rain or Shine, evens title series at 1-1