The health status of shooter Marcio Lassiter could play a crucial role in San Miguel Beer’s quest to win a fifth straight PBA Philippine Cup crown.
Lassiter played a total of 12 minutes in the final two games of the Beermen’s 4-1 semifinal conquest of the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters after missing Game 3 due to back spasms.
The member of last season’s Mythical Five remains a question mark for the opener of San Miguel’s best-of-seven showdown against either Magnolia or Rain or Shine slated Wednesday.
Magnolia and Rain or Shine were disputing the right to face SMB at presstime in the deciding seventh game of their best-of-seven semifinals at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“It’s not concerning but it’s more of just wanting to make sure that it gets 100 percent, so we’ll see,” Lassiter said.
Lassiter averaged 12.8 points on 36 percent shooting in the playoffs prior to the injury. He posted 14.4 points on 44 percent clip during the eliminations.
His presence is integral in how San Miguel runs its scheme, particularly on offense where Lassiter is among coach Leo Austria’s options.
If there’s anything positive that came out in Lassiter’s injury was that Matt Ganuelas-Rosser stepped in and deliver vital contributions on both ends.
Ganuelas-Rosser was inserted as starter by Austria in Games 4 and 5 and produced 6.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals while limiting Phoenix scorer Matthew Wright to a combined 9-of-36 shooting. (Jonas Terrado)
