The Philippine Cup semifinals are being fiercely contested, but for two key players – Chris Newsome and RR Pogoy – the battle has taken a painful turn. Both find themselves sidelined with injuries at a critical juncture, forced to support their teams from the bench as they navigate a challenging playoff series.
Newsome is grappling with a left knee MCL sprain, an injury expected to require three to five weeks of recovery. This diagnosis casts a significant shadow over Meralco’s chances, currently trailing TNT 1-3 in the series and facing elimination.
Pogoy’s setback came swiftly, a Grade 1 left hamstring strain suffered just a minute into TNT’s dominant 102-83 victory over Newsome’s Bolts. The injury is anticipated to keep him off the court for approximately two weeks.
Newsome is focused on a meticulous recovery process, prioritizing the guidance of team doctors and taking each day as it comes. He acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding his return, but remains hopeful and sends his best wishes to his teammates.
Despite the physical limitations, Newsome is determined to contribute in any way possible. He’s embracing a role as a vocal leader, offering insights and advice from the sidelines, effectively functioning as an additional assistant coach.
“I’m going to do whatever I can to try to help,” Newsome stated, emphasizing the need for a unified team effort to overcome their current predicament. He believes his teammates value his perspective and actively seek his input during games.
Acknowledging the difficulty of a potential Game 5 on Wednesday, Newsome is pushing his rehabilitation to the limit. He’ll dedicate the intervening days to intensive recovery work, hoping to regain enough strength to rejoin the team on the court.
Pogoy, already battling hamstring issues from the previous season, has conceded that he will miss TNT’s opportunity to close out the series in Game 5. His absence adds another layer of complexity to the championship chase.
In a separate incident, Converge players Justine Baltazar and Mark Omega, along with assistant coach Humperdinck Dimatulac, were each fined P20,000 for making inappropriate gestures during a recent quarterfinal game against Barangay Ginebra.
