MAPIPIGA pa si Joe Devance bilang backup ni Japeth Aguilar sa Ginebra, lalo’t mas malamang na hindi na maglalaro sa PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup si Isaac Go.

Nasa semifinals ang Gin Kings, abante sa San Miguel Beer 2-1 sa best of seven set. Kahit pumalaot sa finals ay baka hindi na makabalik si Go na hinihinalang nagkaroon ng knee cap fracture.

“And if it’s true, then they might have to go in and have surgery,” ani coach Tim Cone pagkatapos ng 99-94 Game 3 win sa Dasmarinas, Cavite noong Linggo.

Wala pang timetable ng balik ng 28-year-old center na inabot ng injury noong September 13 kontra Rain or Shine.

“No, there’s no way he’ll be available. Still we don’t have time for him to return yet,” dagdag ng tactician.

Numipis ang frontline dahil nasa injury list din si Jamie Malonzo, hindi pa nagagamay ni Ben Adamos ang sistema kaya hinugot si Devance mula two-year retirement.

Off the bench, nakakapagbigay ng quality minutes ang 42-year-old big man kapag kailangang ipahinga si Aguilar. Ang Fil-Am ang nagpapahirap kay June Mar Fajardo kapag nasa bench si Japeth.

“As good as Japeth is, he can’t compete with him (JMF) totally by himself,” paliwanag ni Cone. “He needs to have breaks, he needs to have rest so he can be efficient against him.”

Wala man sa numero sa stat sheet, sapat ang pambubulabog ni JDV para malimitahan ang eight-time MVP.

“He’s really playing very well,” giit ni Cone sa kanyang veteran big. “Without him, I don’t think we would be here playing San Miguel the way we are because obviously there’s no one guy who can compete with June Mar for 48 minutes.” (Vladi Eduarte)