Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Ginebra is keeping its fingers crossed that Sol Mercado’s injury isn’t serious.
The 33-year-old playmaker suffered a high grade left ankle sprain after a bad landing following his chasedown block on Jared Dillinger in the last 15 seconds of Game 4.
Mercado writhed in pain at the baseline as the Gin Kings tried to force overtime, but Brownlee’s one-hander went short and the Bolts escaped with the 85-83 victory to level the 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals to two games apiece.
“It’s unfortunate because that was a game-saving play by Sol, but he got injured doing it,” rued coach Tim Cone.
Mercado declined to give interviews after the game as he was taken out on a wheelchair and was rushed to Cardinal Santos Medical Center.
Gin Kings assistant coach Olsen Racela shared to the media the initial findings from the team doctors, who ruled it a high grade ankle sprain. But the team is still hoping that the injury won’t keep Mercado out of their lineup for the duration of the championship series.
“You never know about sprained ankles until the next day. The swelling dictates what grade it is, one, two, or three. If it’s a grade one, he’ll get a chance to play, but if it’s two or three, he won’t make it on Sunday,” said Cone.
Mercado has been a good barometer of Ginebra in the Finals as he averaged 6.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.5 steals in the first two wins, but went scoreless in Games 3 and 4, both Gin King losses, to go with 1.5 boards, 1.0 assist, and 0.5 steals.