NLEX Road Warriors import DeQuan Jones underwent successful surgery a day after sustaining a gruesome lower right leg injury in NLEX’s 118-111 win over the TNT Tropang 5G.
Jones sustained the injury, confirmed to be an ankle dislocation with medial malleolar fracture and complete fractured fibula, at the eight-minute mark of the third quarter when he lost balance while driving and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser fell on his legs in the process. The 36-year-old American was stretchered off the court and brought to a nearby hospital.
X-rays later confirmed the extent of the injury. Jones underwent surgery at Cardinal Santos Hospital, where doctors put his dislocated ankle back in place. He is still set to go under the knife to repair the fractured fibula. He will be out at least five months to recuperate and rehabilitate. But he has at least gotten the first step in what would be a long road to recovery and is, according to NLE Team Governor Robert Dulatre, “in high spirit.”
Jimmy Alapag Heartbroken for DeQuan Jones
DeQuan Jones’s injury unsurprisingly sent shockwaves throughout the NLEX franchise, whose head coach, Jimmy Alapag, and main man, Robert Bolick, were among the most impacted.
Alapag underscored the beyond-the-numbers impact Jones had on the franchise, noting the American’s leadership and character as defining characteristics.
“It’s heartbreaking to see him go down. My deepest prayers go out to DJ. More than the basketball player, it’s the person,” Alapag said right after NLEX beat TNT at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. “He and I just had lunch yesterday, and his value to this team goes far beyond what he brings to the basketball court. It’s the person, the leadership, the character.”
Bolick: DeQuan Jones Was Our Justin Brownlee
Bolick, meanwhile, stressed how valuable DeQuan Jones has been to NLEX, comparing him to the legendary Justin Brownlee.
“Siya ‘yung Justin Brownlee sa team namin,” he said of Jones. “Ang bait, ang aga sa practice. Bihira kang makakuha ng ganung import. Nakaka-panghinayang. Naaawa ako sa kanya. Sobra niyang importante sa team.”
In eight games this PBA Governors’ Cup, Jones has averaged 24.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in leading NLEX to a league-leading start. But more than the stats, he has looked like a perfect fit, encouraging his teammates and giving the Road Warriors the kind of leadership a team in transition needs.
Now, NLEX will be playing for their fallen Road Warrior.
