Japeth Aguilar. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—It will take at least three more weeks until Japeth Aguilar gets back in tip-top shape.
Aguilar shared the development on Sunday night after being reduced to a spectator by a knee sprain during the Gin Kings’ 118-88 loss to Magnolia in the PBA Governors’ Cup at Mall of Asia Arena.
“About three weeks,” he said with a long face and a somber tone during a short chat with reporters when asked about his timetable for return.
“I’m just sticking to the [doctors’] protocols, letting it heal first before I could finally start with the therapy,” he went on.
Aguilar was wearing a knee immobilizer underneath his sweatpants and was walking gingerly throughout the whole game.
The two-time World Cup veteran sustained the injury in Ginebra’s clash with NLEX last Wednesday.
The knee problem not only shelves the high-leaping forward for the Gin Kings’ encounter with 5-1 San Miguel Beer later this week but could also scratch him from the Philippine roster for the Fiba qualifying games against Lebanon and Jordan beginning Feb. 24.
“I guess I just have to be patient,” Aguilar said with a sigh. “I don’t think the Lord wills it just yet. We’ll see.”
In an earlier interview, national coach Chot Reyes was already girding for Aguilar’s absence, which should deny this cage-crazed nation’s fans an interesting roster that would’ve been built around Aguilar, fellow World Cup veteran June Mar Fajardo, Justin Brownlee, and even young big man Kai Sotto who is reportedly begging off from Gilas duty.
“That’s a huge blow for us,” the program director said on Saturday. “Aside from the size, it’s also the leadership. What Japeth brings is big—a huge leadership component for us, so that’s going to be big for us.”