MANILA, Philippines - Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes hopes newly wed Macmac Cardona gets his focus back on the job by tomorrow as they play the Alaska Milk Aces in a crucial game with Ryan Reyes a doubtful starter.
“It’s very doubtful that Ryan can play,” said the Talk n Text mentor of his prized guard who hurt his right leg in a collision with Joe De Vance towards the end of the third game of their PBA Fiesta Conference best-of-seven semifinal showdown at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
De Vance rammed into Reyes, causing the Talk n Text player to hyperextend his leg and, thus, miss the closing minutes of the match won by Alaska.
The Aces, behind LA Tenorio’s key plays at the finish, topped the Tropang Texters, 90-86, Sunday to gain the 2-1 lead in the series.
After the game, Reyes was rushed to the Makati Medical Center for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure.
“We’ll know tomorrow (today) if he can play. But it’s really doubtful,” said the TnT coach.
Reyes, among a handful of pro players being considered to reinforce the Smart Gilas team for the coming Asian Games, was going great guns when he sustained the injury.
He had churned out 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals before the collision.
“He was playing very well. We broke down upon his exit,” said the older Reyes.
“If he can’t play, Macmac should regain his fire for us to compete with Alaska,” the TnT coach also said. “Macmac was missing in Game Three.”
Cardona groped for form in his first game after his wedding Friday, scoring only six points on 3-of-6 shooting Sunday.
Ranidel de Ocampo paced the Texters with 18 points but incurred a crucial offensive foul that hastened their downfall.
The Texters were down by only two, 84-86, when De Ocampo charged into Reynel Hugnatan with 26 seconds to go.
Kelly Williams was forced to give up a foul 11 seconds later, and Tenorio sank two charities to make it 88-84.
Alaska coach Tim Cone said it’s a big win for them going to a two-day break.
“We have a chance to refresh and play them on even terms Wednesday. It would’ve been a lot difficult had we lost the game,” said Cone.