Hurting Helterbrand unsure of Game 5 stint

MANILA, Philippines - Jayjay Helterbrand left the Araneta Coliseum Wednesday with a sore left thigh, making him a doubtful starter in Game Five of the Barangay Ginebra-San Miguel showdown for the Motolite PBA Fiesta Cup championship Monday.

“It appeared his hamstring injury has recurred. His status now is day-to-day, and we can only hope for the best,” Ginebra coach Jong Uichico told The STAR.

“Good thing, there’s a long break. We take a rest today (Thursday) and hopefully it helps Jayjay heal his injury. As we resume practice, we have to ask him everyday how he feels,” Uichico added.

Helterbrand sat out the last three minutes of Game Four which San Miguel won, 106-104, on a crucial four-point binge by Gabe Freeman at endgame.

“I opted not to use him anymore so as not to aggravate his injury. If he were able to finish the game, it could have gone the other way. Everybody knows how valuable Jayjay to us,” Uichico said.

Helterbrand, named earlier as the season’s Most Valuable Player, was going great guns when he felt soreness and tightness on his left thigh.

“I didn’t take him out right away. Then we noticed he’s already tight. Since he could no longer move well, Danny Ildefonso got away with two baskets on pick-and-roll plays,” said Uichico.

Helterbrand has been hobbled by that injury for at least two years now.

It was the same injury causing him to sit out almost half of the 2006-07 season. And it was also for the same reason that he, as member of the Powerade Team Pilipinas, missed the recent SEABA championship in Medan, Indonesia.

“A complete rest is all that is needed to heal a hamstring injury. But he can’t get a long rest with the long PBA season, then he still has his commitment with the RP team,” said Uichico.

National coach Yeng Guiao is also hoping for the best for Helterbrand since his other pointguard in Ryan Reyes is also nursing a hamstring injury.

The Nationals leave on July 16 for Taipei for the Jones Cup competition serving as the final basis for the selection of the Final 12 players for the FIBA-Asia championship in Tianjin, China in August.

If the Fiesta Cup championship reaches a deciding Game Seven, Helterbrand and San Miguel’s Mick Pennisi will follow the Nationals in Taipei on July 18.

The series is down to a best-of-three series affair with the two teams splitting the first four games.

Game Five is set Monday at the Araneta Coliseum with league officials opting to take a break Friday and Sunday due to unavailability of a suitable playing venue.