The injury bug continues to hound San Miguel Beer as rookie Kyt Jimenez and veteran star Terrence Romeo are expected to be sidelined after getting hurt in their previous game in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup over the weekend.
Jimenez suffered a fractured eye socket after getting hit by a wayward elbow from Cliff Hodge during their 93-83 victory over Meralco last Sunday.
Jimenez finished with two points in 12 minutes of action before being taken out in the final 8:32.
The impact of the elbow, which inadvertently landed on Jimenez’s face, left him sprawling on the floor. It took him more than a minute before getting up and had to be helped by his teammates to the bench.
“That’s how strong the impact of the hit was and the sad thing was that there was no sanction against Hodge even if the referees reviewed it several times,” San Miguel Beer team manager Gee Abanilla said.
With the injury, Jimenez will have to be sidelined for quite some time.
But Abanilla said Jimenez is determined to suit up in their next game.
“I told him his injury is a lot more delicate because it’s near the eye area,” Abanilla said.
“He wanted to play, but we want to look after his safety.”
Jimenez’s backcourt partner, Romeo, also failed to finish their game against the Bolts.
“It’s the same injury he suffered when we played NLEX in which he hurt his shin late in the game and didn’t return,” Abanilla said.
“He really wanted to play, but each time he applies the breaks, it’s been nagging him until he couldn’t bear the pain anymore.”
Jimenez and Romeo were the latest additions to the Beermen’s list of casualties that already included Marcio Lassiter, Vic Manuel, Jeron Teng and Jericho Cruz.
Manuel underwent knee procedure but it would take him six to eight weeks before he could return.
Lassiter, for his part, is on his way to recovery as his foot is getting better while Teng is nursing a hamstring injury and Cruz is still recovering from a groin injury.
