Caguioa hopes to heal fast for All-Filipino Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Not again.

The MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury that sidelined him for the most part of the Commissioner’s Cup came back haunting the reigning MVP Mark Caguioa after a freak accident in Brgy. Ginebra’s 101-94 loss to Petron Blaze on Thursday night.

The scary scene came at the 8:15 mark of the second quarter with the Kings trailing the Blaze Boosters, 28-33.  Caguioa awkwardly landed on a slippery area of the Mall of Asia Arena court while receiving a pass from his backcourt mate Jayjay Helterbrand.

“I said, ‘Oh no, not again’ when I was lying on the floor,” recalled Caguioa, who had to endure the same scary moment last conference.

“I don’t know how many months I was out the last time pero matagal siya ‘till I got better. Now on the right, di pa nga gaanong nag-heal yung isa,” Caguioa added.  â€œWe just gotta pray and hopefully, it will heal faster.”

The 33-year old Caguioa is hoping that it’s only MCL and nothing more serious.

“Same injury as the left knee [injury] that I got last conference. Depende kung saan na-stretch yung ligament. Tomorrow (Friday), I gotta see Dr. Raul Canlas.  Same feeling but I don’t know kung meron pang iba,” Caguioa added.

The Blaze Boosters pounded on the situation and zoomed to as many as 25-point lead as the Kings looked lost without Caguioa on the floor.

But the Kings, flashing their never-say die form and led by their other leader LA Tenorio, went on a spirited chase in the second half cutting the once imposing lead to just one.  But the Kings fell short as they did not have the legs to sustain the run in the end kissing their season goodbye.

“They never gave up,” said Caguioa, who was proud of the gallant stand by his teammates. “Mahirap tanggapin pero I’m happy we fought till the end. Napagod lang talaga.”

Caguioa hates losing but the manner the Kings fought back somehow eased the pain.

“Madaming fans diyan na umaasang manalo kami. Pero like I said, I don’t like losing by 20, 25 points. I could take those games (loss) one point, two points. Some people save up money to watch our games then we get blown out, no way,” said the acknowledged Ginebra’s heart and soul.

Caguioa said he will stay in the country to recover in time for the All Filipino Cup that is set to tip-off mid-November.