Contrary to assumptions of some that Japeth Aguilar was only rested in the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s 118-124 overtime loss to the Blackwater Elite, the national team mainstay admitted himself that he has a strained right calf injury.
“May injury ako actually. Na-hurt ko yung [right] calf ko nung last practice,” disclosed the 6-foot-9 Gilas Pilipinas slotman, as he was reduced to a spectator in the Gin Kings’ first loss this 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup.
Aguilar is fresh off from an astounding campaign with Gilas that ended on Monday, when he dropped a team-high 16 points and nine rebounds to lift the national team to a 92-81 win over Qatar in the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
The Ginebra power forward confessed that he had already felt the strain in the last two minutes of the Qatar match, but still played through it in Ginebra practice where it eventually got serious.
“Actually, last two minutes ng Qatar game, dun ko naramdaman.
“Alam kong may game kami, tapos yun, triny kong mag-practice tapos during practice, na-injure ko siya ulit,” he admitted.
Aguilar will be out for a minimum of 10 days with no basketball activities, until further notice from the team’s doctor.
Meanwhile, Joe Devance – who has also knee problems that restricted him to play in Ginebra’s first three games – came back to reinforce the depleted squad, but it still proved insufficient.
With this, Ginebra’s line-up has gotten even thinner as Aguilar joins Greg Slaughter (left ankle injury), Jervy Cruz (bone spur), Sol Mercado (knee), and Raymond Aguilar.
Still, Aguilar could not be more proud of his teammates, who battled until the end despite a shorthanded line-up.
“Sayang nga eh. Proud of my teammates. They played their hearts out,” he declared.
“Actually, yung endgame na lang talaga yung kulang.”
