Gilas Pilipinas guard Scottie Thompson was a casualty in the national team’s blowout win over Guam on Monday as he sprained his ankle in the third quarter. The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel point man retreated to the Gilas bench visibly in pain and never returned as the Philippines notched a clean sweep of its first window in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
When asked about it postgame, Gilas and Ginebra coach Tim Cone admitted he was still unsure about the former MVP’s status but said it was likely a first-degree sprain. Now, Ginebra’s medical staff and trainers will have a week and change to get Thompson recovered well enough to play in the team’s next game on December 10 against the Blackwater Bossing.
“That’s always a next-day kind of injury. He definitely sprained his ankle. Not a first degree [sprain] but maybe second or third degree,” Cone told reporters after the Guam game on Monday. “We have until the 10th of December to get him ready to play—and hopefully he’ll be ready ’cause that’s one guy we can’t lose at Ginebra, obviously.”
Scottie Thompson is currently averaging 13.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in the PBA Philippine Cup.
Scottie Thompson Injury a Reminder of Sacrifices National Team Players Make
While Cone is admittedly concerned about his starting point guard at Ginebra, he pointed out that the injury Scottie Thompson sustained against Guam is part of the sacrifices Gilas players make when they put “Pilipinas” over their chest in international competitions.
“That’s just the sacrifice you make for the national team. Cjay [Perez] went down and had a bad ankle sprain, Calvin [Oftana] got injured in the FIBA Asia Cup. It’s just part of it. You hope it doesn’t happen, but that’s the sacrifice you make playing for the national team…,” Cone noted.
Indeed, there’s a physical toll that comes from playing for flag and country, and Scottie Thompson found that out the hard way on Monday.
