Blackwater’s Mac Belo set for knee surgery, to sit out 1-2 months

Mac Belo during the PBA Media day. INQUIRER PHOTO/TRISTAN TAMAYO

MANILA, Philippines–Blackwater Elite will be without its cornerstone Mac Belo when it plunges into action in the upcoming PBA Philippine Cup.

The 6-foot-4 forward is set to miss a month or two to recover from a knee operation according to head coach Nash Racela.

“He’s having some ‘loose bodies’ on his knee removed,” the Elite’s new mentor told the Inquirer on Thursday during the 2020 PBA Media Day at Okada in Parañaque.

“It’s something he could manage most of the time. But Mac says whenever it hurts, it hurts really bad,” added Racela.

Belo was signed into a three-year max deal last November shortly after a dizzying stretch of trades that dealt away Mike DiGregorio, Allein Maliksi, Raymar Jose, and Bobby Ray Parks Jr.

The 27-year-old former Gilas cadet is one of the many prominent big men who have been sidelined due to injury.

Meralco’s Raymond Almazan won’t be back until April, Magnolia’s Marc Pingris is not yet fully recovered, while San Miguel Beer’s centerpiece and reigning Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo could be out for the entire season.

“For now, we’d have to lean on Maurice (Shaw),” said Racela of his burly rookie who stands at 6-foot-9. “I believe we’ll manage until then.