NorthPort’s injured wards getting more time to recover amid PBA hiatus

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Jonathan Grey has worked tirelessly to get back to playing shape after suffering a gruesome leg injury in June 2019, and with the PBA in hiatus, he is getting more time to get into a better physique.

NorthPort’s dependable wingman, who ruptured a patellar tendon in his left leg after the Batang Pier’s practice session, is taking advantage of the league suspension to get into game shape.

Batang Pier executive Erick Arejola said in a report in PBA.ph that Grey and fellow injured young star Robert Bolick are taking their rehab seriously ahead of the possible resumption of the Philippine Cup.

“I think they’re still in the rehab process and will soon condition themselves to get back into game shape,” said Arejola.

Bolick, who was on a strong run for the Rookie of the Year award in 2019, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in October and was expected to miss eight months due to the injury.

Grey, meanwhile, was expected to sit out 10 months of action due to injury. The two could’ve made their respective returns this May.

Their return was expected to give NorthPort a massive boost to the Philippine Cup with Christian Standhardinger, the 2019 Governors’ Cup Best Player of the Conference, anchoring the middle and Defensive Player of the Year Sean Anthony and Kevin Ferrer holding the fort in the forward spots.

Veteran big Kelly Nabong also returned to the franchise with rookies Sean Manganti and Renzo Subido expected to make contributions in head coach Pido Jarencio’s system.

Jarencio’s depleted Batang Pier even knocked off top seed NLEX in the quarterfinals of the Governors’ Cup before their momentum fizzled out against eventual champion Barangay Ginebra in the semifinals losing 4-1.

Nevertheless, Jarencio said that his team would give the other teams a run for their money.

“We will fight, we won’t back down from anybody,” said Jarencio. “I keep reminding the guys let’s play as one unit, absorb and embrace the system. Our first goal is to make the playoffs then let’s see.”