Thomas de Thaey helplessly watched Terrafirma get destroyed by TNT in their PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup encounter on Wednesday night.
The Belgian bruiser was reduced to a spectator as the Dyip refused to take any risk playing him while nursing a grade 1 groin strain, which he sustained during their win over NLEX last Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Without him, the Dyip suffered a humiliating 133-93 defeat, which also snapped their two-game winning streak in the season-opening conference.
“We didn’t want to take a risk and make it worse, that’s why they decided to let me rest today and be ready for next week’s game, hopefully,” said de Thaey moments after the deflating result at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
His absence was another big blow to a Terrafirma side that was already without main man Juami Tiongson and rookie Kemark Carino due to illness.
Despite that, Coach Johnedel Cardel’s crew were going to toe-to-toe with the Tropang Giga. They even held a two-point lead briefly, 21-19, and headed into the halftime break trailing by only three, 58-55.
But all that changed right after the intermission when Calvin Oftana and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson sparked a 41-point explosion in the third quarter.
The game would never be in question, so much so that RHJ finished the night with a full quarter to go as he already had 37 points, six rebounds, and six assists, together with a steal and a block in 29 minutes.
De Thaey could only lament what he witnessed.
“It stings because in the first half, I think we played a pretty good game. We were playing as a team. And then the second half, it was hard for me to recognize our team from the first half.
“It was a big contrast,” he said. “Obviously, you want to be out there and help the guys, show some leadership. But it is what it is.”
Now, he hopes to be fully recovered by the time Terrafirma battles Phoenix Super LPG on November 29 as they all hope to bounce back.
“We got another one on Wednesday and that’s what we gotta focus on,” said the 32-year-old, who normed 19.3 points and 11.7 rebounds in their first three games.
“It’s just tight, really sore, just gotta take it easy and get ready for the next one.”
