Break allows NLEX players to recover from injuries

SINCE the start of the PBA Governors’Cup, NLEX has been hampered by injuries. And during the team’s last game in 2021, veteran center J.R. Quiñahan was added to the list of its hurting players.

Quiñahan suffered a sprained Achilles heel on Christmas Day when the Road Warriors lost to the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, 93-102.

The Road Warriors just removed from the injury list Raul Soyud, who has yet to play a game since undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a damage on his knee.

Two other big men were also sidelined either by sickness or injury.

Kris Porter is still on his way to recovery after suffering an Achilles heel injury while Mike Miranda is having problems with his uric acid level.

Despite being riddled with various injuries, the Road Warriors were able to perform decently in the Governors’ Cup, winning four of their first five games.

Now they have more time to recuperate.

The temporary stoppage of action due to the rising cases of Covid-19 in Metro Manila will also allow the Road Warriors to regroup and figure out what went wrong on Christmas

Day when prolific import K.J. McDaniels played the worst game of his PBA career.

McDaniels finished with only 12 points and 10 rebounds during their loss to the Fuel Masters.

NLEX general manager and head coach Yeng Guiao recently had a discussion with the import regarding their previous outing.

“We just put everything behind and we want to get better,” said Guiao. “The temporary break could only serve as a good time for K.J. to get in much better shape, and we hope that with more time with him on the court, he’ll get to know his teammates more.”

The PBA suspended their scheduled games the past week and the resumption of the Governors’ Cup remains uncertain following the current surge in Covid-19 cases.

On Monday, the country recorded 33,169 new Covid-19 cases. It was the biggest number tallied on one day in the Philippines since the start of the pandemic.