Phoenix to evaluate ‘absent’ Simmons after another loss

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Phoenix head coach Ariel Vanguardia said import Marcus Simmons will be evaluated after his poor showing that factored into the Fuel Masters’ 0-3 start.

Simmons had seven points on 3-of-11 shooting and was in foul trouble majority of Phoenix’s 106-89 loss to Rain or Shine Saturday night.

“He was totally absent today,” Vanguardia said. “We will evaluate him, because he’s on a tryout basis, so bago mag-lapse yung one-month tryout niya, we’ll see. I like his energy and his aggressiveness, pero today kasi hindi niya ma-perform yung dapat eh, so hindi pwedeng ganun.”

“Meron. We’re waiting for the Summer League to end and the KBL tryouts, and may mga scouts kami watching the Drew League sa LA. Lagi namang mayroong backup, so we’ll watch again. Good thing, we have a week to prepare, so we’ll see.”

Vanguardia said an energy drink Simmons took before the game affected his play, though, what happened was still unacceptable.

“He drank this energy drink that he bought daw sa convenience store. Hindi ko alam yung brand, pero kulay green na maliit and naiba yung epekto sa kanya. He was shaking all-game long,” Vanguardia said. “Pero you’re a professional and hindi dapat nangyayari yung mga ganung pagkakataon. We needed him badly.”

“Na-low bat eh. imbis na ma-up, na-down eh. so whatever that energy drink was, it affected his game. Siguro gusto magpakita, gusto ma-pop up, pero iba yung naging epekto.”

Phoenix won’t play until next Sunday against GlobalPort.