Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coach Tim Cone yesterday revealed that initial findings on the MRI of Greg Slaughter showed Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear in the right knee after sustaining the injury against Mahindra last week in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
“Greg’s injury, unfortunately, seems to be an ACL tear,” said Cone. “We have not received official word from Dr. (Raul) Canlas, but initial findings from the MRI point to an ACL tear.”
“Once we get an official diagnosis, we will sit down with Greg and the doctors and determine the proper course of action and whether surgery will be needed,” added the Ginebra bench tactician.
Ginebra management, in an interview with team manager Alfrancis Chua last Saturday, initially wanted to wait for renowned sports surgeon Dr. Raul Canlas to see the MRI result this week.
Slaughter, the 7-foot center of Ginebra, hurt his knee in his first game this conference after a rebound play early in the fourth period. He was immediately taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for MRI test.
He missed the team’s first eight games this Governors’ Cup after undergoing surgery to remove bone spurs in his right foot.
Slaughter, the 2014 Rookie of the Year, had seven points and four rebounds in more than 10 minutes of action in the Kings’ 93-86 win over the Enforcer, which extended the team’s win streak to three games for a 7-2 record.
After hurting the knee, Slaughter. whose contract is reportedly expiring this year, was helped up by teammates but he was able to walk on his own, giving Ginebra – including Cone – hope that the injury isn’t serious as the pain is “dissipating.”
“At first he felt some pain when it happened,” said Cone. “I haven’t had the chance to talk to him since. But when we huddled around him, he said the pain is dissipating.”
“If it was a serious injury like ACL, the pain continues to be there. Dissipating, he was able to get up and walk.
We’ll see if that turns into a setback or not. Coming off an injury I wasn’t going to risk him anymore,” said Cone.