Banged-up Thompson ready to sacrifice for Perpetual

Scottie Thompson. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

The first round may have ended, but the pain all over Earl Scottie Thompson’s body still lingers.

Already suffering from a left ankle sprain and a nagging hamstring injury, the reigning NCAA MVP’s collection of aches continued to pile after sustaining back spasms late in Perpetual’s 86-83 overtime conquest of Jose Rizal University on Tuesday.

Thompson exited the game early after taking a push from Dave Sanchez which triggered the spasms.

READ: Thompson with another triple-double as Perpetual survives JRU in OT

Though he said the back injury wasn’t a serious, the Digos, Davao del Sur native admitted that he may be feeling the effects of the countless ground-and-pound his body has suffered throughout Season 91.

“Nung tinulak ako, di ko naramdaman. Pero paglakad, dun ko na naramdaman yung sakit,” he said. “Buong katawan ko pinupulikat kasi wala akong practice. Puro shooting at jogging lang. Kaya ang tagal kong nakahiga kanina kasi siguro pagod na lang din.”

(When I was pushed, I didn’t feel it. But when I walked, that’s when I felt the pain. My body has been cramping because I didn’t really have any practice. It’s all just shooting and jogging. That’s why I took so long to get up because maybe, it’s also due to fatigue.)

Thompson rued his missed free throw at the end of the regulation, saying that if he had just made that shot, it would have been a four-point game for Perpetual and the injury could have been averted.

However, Sanchez nailed a booming three with 1.2 ticks to spare which sent the game to overtime.

With the game over, Thompson is now looking forward to the short break for him to recuperate from his nagging ailments.

“After ng first round, talagang magpapahinga ako at mag-therapy (After the first round, I’ll rest and undergo therapy.),” he said, also indicating his readiness to sit out the NCAA All-Star Game and the upcoming 2015 PBA Draft Combine, all of which, he hopes, will bear fruit for the Altas later in the NCAA season.

READ: Thompson leads Team East, Cruz backs Team West in NCAA All-Star

“Syempre gusto ko rin makalaro yung mga kasama ko kaya pinu-push ko na lang sarili ko,” Thompson said.

“Trabaho na lang ulit kami. Kailangan kung anong pinakita namin, mas higitan pa kasi sa second round. Bakbakan talaga kasi iba na ang labanan. Gusto na ng lahat manalo at makapasok sa Final Four.”

(Of course, I want to play with my teammates, which is why I keep on pushing myself. We have to work again. Whatever we showed, we need to eclipse it in the second round. It’s really going to be a battle. Everyone wants to win and make it to the Final Four.) CFC