Marcio Lassiter is set to miss the remainder of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs and possibly the FIBA World Cup due to a left MCL sprain suffered in San Miguel Beer’s quarterfinal win over NorthPort last Wednesday.
San Miguel team manager Gee Abanilla said Lassiter will be out for six weeks after renowned orthopedic surgeon George Canlas determined the injury as a type 2 MCL sprain.
The injury could be a big blow for the Beermen’s playoff run after overcoming the Batang Pier’s twice-to-beat advantage by hacking out a gritty90-88 victory at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
SMB will face the winner of the quarterfinal series between Blackwater and Rain or Shine in a best-of-five series which starts Saturday.
Another concern is Lassiter’s availability for Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the FIBA World Cup which starts Aug. 31 in China as he appears to be a strong candidate to make the 12-man lineup owing to coach Yeng Guiao’s need for a reliable shooter.
Lassiter underwent MRI at the Cardinal Santos Hospital after sustaining the injury with 3:22 left in the second quarter when he blocked Garvo Lanete’s layup attempt.
Videos showed that Lassiter appeared to have banged knees with Lanete while making the block before landing awkwardly near the stanchion.
Lassiter had been playing well prior to the injury, scoring 11 points highlighted by back-to-back triples in the opening quarter.
The 32-year-old had previously suffered the same injury on his right knee in 2012 when San Miguel was known as Petron Blaze. (JONAS TERRADO)
