The TNT Tropang 5G’s defense of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown just got infinitely harder, and it’s not necessarily because they lost Game 2 of their semis series against the Meralco Bolts. It’s more because the Tropa just lost their super import, Bol Bol, to a partial Achilles tear.
Bol, who had already scored 10 points in the early goings of Game 2, suffered the injury at the 2:50 mark of the opening frame while doing his patented high pickup in transition. Upon planting his left foot for the gather, the big man appeared to lose his balance, ultimately falling to the floor and wincing in obvious pain as he grabbed his Achilles.
The 26-year-old pride of South Sudan hopped gingerly on one leg heading back to the TNT bench. He was eventually carried back into the dugout by three ka-Tropa as the air and energy seemingly got sucked out of the SM Mall of Asia Arena. TNT general manager Jojo Lastimosa later confirmed the severity of Bol Bol’s injury.
TNT Scrambling for Bol Bol Replacement
Perhaps the only silver lining in all this for TNT is that they’re allowed to bring someone over to replace the injured Bol Bol. The problem is that Tropa management only has until Saturday to inform the league of Bol’s replacement. Even if they are able to find one willing to fly in on short notice, he will be thrown to the fire right away on Sunday in an all-important Game 3 with little to no practice time with TNT.
According to Lastimosa himself, TNT is looking at either former NBA player Marquese Chriss, who just concluded a stint in the CBA, or Darius Days, who is reportedly the Tropa’s stand-by import for the Governors’ Cup.
Chriss, according to reports, is Lastimosa’s preferred choice because of his size, defensive ability, and NBA pedigree. However, Chriss’s agent, Josh Beauregard-Bell of Wasserman Basketball, has reportedly shut the door on the big man coming over, and it could potentially force Lastimosa to look elsewhere or settle for the smaller Days.
Regardless of who TNT brings over, there will be impossibly humongous shoes to fill, mostly because Bol Bol appears to have figured out the PBA and what he needs to do to elevate the Tropang 5G. He was playing his best basketball and was finally unleashing the locals along with him.
Now, the young man is staring at an uncertain future and a long road to recovery. His team, on the other hand, is left scrambling to pick up the pieces.
