UAAP: Injuries pile up as La Salle down to 9 healthy players

Green Archers Arnold van Opstal (7) and Kib Montalbo (15) are both injured. Inquirer file photo.

MANILA, Philippines — Already without its ailing starters Arnold Van Opstal and Thomas Torres, De La Salle took another blow when guard Kib Montalbo went down Sunday night.

Montalbo has been giving the Green Archers a lift since Torres sustained a foot injury with just two games into the season but with him now in the injury list as well leaves his team without a steady playmaker.

Apart from Montalbo, who hurt his left calf at the 7:12 mark of the third quarter in an 83-70 win over University of Santo Tomas, big man Norbert Torres sustained a cut on his finger in the second quarter of the same game that needed stitches and did not return.

The Green Archers finished the first round on a high note with a five-game winning streak after dropping their first two against Far Eastern University and current leader Ateneo but with the second round to start right away on Saturday, DLSU head coach Juno Sauler braces for the crucial stretch of the elimination round considering his team likely still won’t have everyone back.

“Depends, Arnold (achilles) I think three to five days, Thomas (foot) probably two weeks, Terrence Mustre (wrist) one week, Kib Montalbo they said a week or two, Norbert three to five days,” said Sauler.

“So I don’t even know yet who we’re facing second round. But we’re playing next week but I don’t know who we’re playing and it’s going to be big because now we’re down to nine players, I don’t even know how we can practice 5-on-5 with nine players,” added Sauler, who also joked about “probably” asking his assistant coach and PBA legend Allan Caidic to join practice.

Sauler showed concern as the injuries pile up for the Green Archers. But so far, the defending champions have been able to make the most of what they have with Jeron Teng and Jason Perkins leading the way and their role players backing them up.

Down to nine men last Sunday but they still kept winning.

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