Gilas Pilipinas sniper Marcio Lassiter could miss the World Cup due to injury. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines— Marcio Lassiter’s recent left knee sprain stings doubly painful.
The San Miguel Beer gunslinger suffered a grade two MCL injury on July 25 during the series against Rain or Shine, causing him to miss the PBA Commissioner’s Cup duel with TNT and a possible FIba World Cup stint with Gilas Pilipinas.
And while he is only expected to be sidelined for five more weeks, Lassiter, though hopeful, is keeping a realistic approach on the episode.
“Right now, it’s hard to gauge,” he said when asked about the possibility of him returning to action in time for Nationals’ campaign in the Worlds beginning Aug. 31.
“I’m just really trying to feel how I’lll be in the future. I’m really just feeling how I’ll be in a few weeks. It’s kind of hard to gauge it because it’s not there—not really where I should be at.”
Lassiter, a 7-time PBA Champion and a pioneer of the Gilas program, said the swelling on his knee has significantly improved but noted that the healing phase is not yet over.
“Once I finish the healing stage, I’ll probably have a better clue what will happen after,” he said. “I’m just doing as much as I can to hopefully be back. But as of now, I can’t start playing anytime soon.”
“I’m never gonna say never. I want to give myself hope,” he continued.
Coach Yeng Guiao is just as hopeful.
“I just told him that he needs to be doing full time work on his therapy and recovery period just in case maihabol pa natin. But he’s still hoping and I’m still hoping.
Lassiter joins a bevy of stars who will miss Gilas’ drum-up for the global contest. Stanley Pringle was unable to join the friendlies and a pocket tournament in Europe due to a minor ankle injury. Raymond Almazan was denied visa, while San Miguel centerpiece June Mar Fajardo and TNT’s star duo in Roger Pogoy and Troy Rosario are all competing in the Finals.
The Nationals left on Sunday morning and plunge into an eight-day camp in the Spanish cities of Guadalajara and Madrid where Congo, Ivory Coast and the host team await them.
“The rage to play is there,” Lassiter said. “I want to be out there. It hurts to not be there but I’ll be there in spirit.“