source: sports.inquirer.net
Mark Caguioa and Jay-Jay Helterbrand, Barangay Ginebra’s Fast and the Furious combination, are already doing some scrimmages and drills in team practices even during the just concluded holidays.
But after a talk with coach Jong Uichico, don’t expect either of them to be suiting up soon.
“For me, it’s 100% (healthy) or nothing,” Uichico told the Inquirer over the phone yesterday when asked of the progress of his two injured superstars, undoubtedly the heart and soul of the Gin Kings who have played less than seven games combined in the KFC Philippine Cup.
“We will not have them play unless we are very sure that everything is OK as far as their knees are concerned,” Uichico added. “Look at what happened to Mark. We let him play (at the start of the season) and then after two games, he’s in the injured list again.”
Uichico said that the two, and even Junthy Valenzuela, another injured swingman, have started joining practices and are all being asked to play in scrimmages and participating in drills.
“But in limited stints only,” Uichico bared. “We don’t want to over-extend them in practice.”
The soft-spoken coach could not come up with an answer when pressed to give a timeframe on the duo’s return, though he said that he hopes that it would be in this conference, or in time for the playoffs at least.
Right now, the Kings are at 9-6, tied for fourth spot with sister squad Purefoods.
And Uichico’s primary aim at this point is to keep the team within automatic playoff range, even if his Ginebra side has been walking wounded for most of the elimination round of the season-opening tournament.
Ginebra battles defending champion Talk ‘N Text in a crucial game when action resumes tomorrow after a 12-day break even as Sta. Lucia tries to creep back into outright quarterfinal slot contention in the other game against Rain or Shine at the Araneta Coliseum.
“Right now, our main focus is to win at least two of our last three (elimination round) games just to assure ourselves of a quarterfinal seat,” Uichico said. “We’ve been very blessed at the way the team has performed, considering the personalities that are absent.” /Inquirer (Cebu Daily News)
UPDATE: Ginebra puts ‘Spark’ back in active duty (click here)
Games January 6 (Araneta Coliseum)
2:30PM — Smart-Gilas vs Purefoods
5:00PM — Sta. Lucia vs Rain or Shine
7:30PM — Talk ’N Text vs Ginebra
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