Isaac Go is ready to make his long-awaited return for Ginebra on Friday when the Gin Kings face the Macau Black Knights at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. It will be his first game in 553 days.
“Just constantly building it out, step-by-step,” Go told Tiebreaker Times. “I know the fans have been waiting. I understand that, especially coming back this conference, yun nga, sakto puro higante ang mga important, parang double whammy.”
Go’s road to recovery began after an injury on September 13, 2024, during a game against Rain or Shine. While challenging Felix Lemetti’s shot, Lemetti landed on Go’s ankle.
Initially thought to be an ankle sprain, the injury was later suspected to be an MCL sprain.
“The first finding was an MCL sprain, but there was some confusion with the MRI because it showed a clean result, but Dr. (George) Canlas had a hunch that something was wrong with the ACL,” recalled Go.
“But siyempre if you have those conversations, you have to make the right decision. Siyempre, I had an ACL surgery before, the mindset of having it opened again for a second time, even though it was exploratory, it was risky. Part of the idea was we’ll try the non-rehab approach.”
Instead of feeling discouraged, Go used the experience as motivation, drawing from his prior recovery in 2022 with Terrafirma.
“But for me personally, when you hear stories like Kevin Alas, Kat Tolentino with multiple ACL injuries, coming back to a high level, it’s hard to feel down about it. You’ve seen these people bounce back. During the recovery process, I was just trying to focus again,” he said.
“The second time, there’s always that thought — ‘Why did this happen?’ But at the same time, it made me appreciate basketball even more. I thought, I only have so many years left, so I might as well maximize it.”
Yet another setback arrived in December 2024.
“True enough, in December, I suffered a setback. In a way, it was a blessing because it exposed the issue: the ACL was still intact, but the ankle had been affected. It could have happened anytime — even during the playoffs — but at least it happened during recovery. That became the silver lining,” he said.
“During the operation, it was confirmed: the graft was intact, but the ankle was affected. It’s a rare case, but it is what it is.”
(C) PBA Images
Despite the challenges, Ginebra stayed loyal, renewing Go’s contract for another year last August. That support motivated him to push harder.
“The rehab process was solid, I think. It took me three attempts to pass the hop test, mostly due to the testing standards they set. They really wanted to make sure I was fully cleared,” he said.
“The third attempt was my last post, and it felt like third time’s the charm.”
Now, Go is ready for his comeback.
Much has changed with Ginebra since his last game. He won’t be alone patrolling the paint — Japeth Aguilar remains, while Troy Rosario and Norbert Torres have joined the roster. Kemark Carino is also expected to bolster the team soon.
For Go, patience will be key in his return.
“Even if I can only play limited minutes, there’s Japeth, Norbert, Raymond (Aguilar), Ralph (Cu), Troy, so we’re complete,” he said.
“The pressure in terms of immediate production isn’t as high. The system works by committee: if someone is hot, we feed him; we help each other out.”
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