PBA: Meralco sends well wishes to injured TNT import Bol Bol

TNT Tropang 5G import Bol Bol vs Meralco Bolts’ Marvin Jones during Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Meralco and TNT may be locked in a heated semifinal war in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, but the Bolts still took time to send well wishes to import Bol Bol after his injury on Friday night.

Bol suffered a partial Achilles tear in the first quarter of TNT’s 87-76 loss in Game 2 at Mall of Asia Arena.

After the final buzzer, Chris Newsome immediately offered his support to the injured TNT import.

“I want to offer my prayers to Bol. Nobody wants to see that in the game of basketball and of course, you always want to compete with the best,”he said.

“It’s unfortunate what happened to him. We wanted him out here, nobody on our end wished him to be out because we want him out there.”

Meralco coach Luigi Trillo echoed the same sentiment for Bol, who exited the game with 10 points and six rebounds.

TNT Tropang 5G import Bol Bol suffers an injury during Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals vs Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

“Best wishes for Bol Bol, we really wish him well. Obviously, Bol is a different kind of player and it’s unfortunate because they were starting to figure it out too. He’s been passing the ball more,” he said.

Javee Mocon, who finished with 16 points and five rebounds off the bench for Meralco, also said the Bolts would have preferred facing a complete TNT squad in the series.

“You wouldn’t want it on anybody,” Mocon told the Inquirer. “We wanted them playing their best and fielding the best so it’s really tough.”

TNT manager Jojo Lastimosa bared that the Tropang 5G are currently in talks with two potential replacements who can arrive as soon as Sunday before Game 3.