Kings could get help starting Game 1 with Japeth likely to return

Japeth Aguilar (right) is this kind of a dominant force the Gin Kings could use against the Tropang Giga starting Easter Sunday. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Coach Tim Cone expects Japeth Aguilar to make his return for Barangay Ginebra in its Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup title series clash with TNT and it could happen in Game 1.

With the championship series set to start on Easter Sunday, Cone said the schedule may allow Aguilar to see action after missing more than a month with an MCL sprain.

“He’s getting closer,” Cone said after Ginebra swept San Miguel Beer in the semis last Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“There’s an opportunity only, but nothing’s written in stone for sure,” Cone added. “But there’s an opportunity he could be ready by Game 1. We’ll see.”

Aguilar has not played since the second game of the eliminations when he got hurt early in the third quarter against NLEX last Feb. 8.

That forced Aguilar to miss the majority of the season-ending conference as well as the PBA All-Star Game in Passi City, Iloilo, where he served as captain of the winning Team Japeth squad.

Even with Aguilar out, Ginebra was able to make its way to the Finals for the fourth time in import-laden conferences, with Christian Standhardinger benefiting from his absence.

Long break to help

Standhardinger is a front-runner for the Best Player of the Conference award after his role and production increased since Aguilar’s injury.

If he returns, Aguilar will be slowly reintegrated by Cone as Ginebra aims to win a third straight Governors’ Cup title at TNT’s expense.

“He still has a ways to go, but with the [long] break, that might put him in a position (that) he might play in Game 1. But we expect him back at some point of the series,” added Cone.

The former Finals Most Valuable Player had a similar situation in last season’s Governors’ Cup Finals when Aguilar returned in Game 4 to help Ginebra win the championship, 4-2.Both Ginebra and TNT will use much of the Holy Week preparing for the series, even as TNT is also one reliable man down with Kelly Williams sidelined after pulling a calf muscle against Phoenix in the quarterfinals.

TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa has earlier ruled out Williams’ availability for the rest of the campaign. INQ