Ever since he stepped into the collegiate world, Franz Pumaren has developed a militaristic approach to his players both on and off the court. This father-figure style has endeared him to his players.
Wednesday afternoon, Jerie Pingoy was no exception to the rule. The Adamson senior was forced to sit out the Soaring Falcons’ game against the University of the East Red Warriors.
And it was because he came in one hour late from Pumaren’s call time.
“Disciplinary action. He was late for the game so he just gotta sit at the bench,” Pumaren diclosed after Adamson’s 90-76 win over UE.
However, if the 23-year-old was to be asked, he sat out because of a nagging injury.
“Yung plantar [fasciitis] ba yun? Yun yung injury ko ngayon tapos may bone spur na tumubo na naman. Sa kaliwa,” said Pingoy, who had three points in Adamson’s stunner over the Ateneo Blue Eagles last September 9.
“Masakit talaga sobra. Mga sixty to seventy yung sakit. Tumutusok kasi e.”
Last season, Pingoy had to go straight to the operation room to fix this injury. And after this season, he knows that he will be heading down the same path again.
“After ng season, ooperahan na naman ako. Same as last year, nung December inoperahan ako eh,” the 5-foot-8 playmaker added.
But after a while, he also admitted his wrongdoing.
“Oo, na-late din ako eh, kasi umuwi pa ko sa bahay eh. Nakausap ko naman si coach, okay naman sa kanya. Yun lang.”
Lesson learned for the Cebuano floor general.