Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Barangay Ginebra will miss a key cog in Sol Mercado in Game 5 of the 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals set on Sunday at Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
The Gin Kings and the Meralco Bolts eye a pivotal 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven series.
“Sol will not play Sunday, so it’s next man up for us,” bared Ginebra coach Tim Cone on Saturday.
Mercado suffered a high grade left ankle sprain in the waning seconds of Ginebra’s 85-83 loss in Game 4 after landing awkwardly off his chasedown block on Jared Dillinger.
He was taken out of the venue in a wheelchair and was rushed to Cardinal Santos Medical Center.
Still, Cone remains upbeat and believes his wards are well equipped to survive the absence of Mercado in the al-important Game 5.
“It’s a best-of-3 now. Like in a game, we have lost our lead and now, we have to pick up our game. What’s done is done, we have to play from here. I have great faith in our players that we can regain control of the series. It should be an interesting game in Philippine Arena,” he said.