NEGRENSE Jeffrei Chan struggled in his return from a long layoff for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings during their 97-85 win over the Columbian Dyip in the 2019 Honda PBA Philippine Cup a week ago.
The Bacolod City native Chan was held to just two points, two assists and a rebound in over 20 minutes of play in his return after undergoing an operation to remove bone spurs in his left ankle during the offseason.
“Medyo nangangapa pa. Medyo matagal nabakante saka siyempre wala pa sa top shape talaga. Mga 70-80 percent pa lang ako eh. May konti pa ring pain, so sinusubukan ko lang,” Chan said.
“’Saka yung hingal ko, mabilis pa ko mapagod na parang ambigat pa ng katawan ko. Parang ang tagal ko nawala sa game. So hopefully, as we play our games buimalik ‘yung rhythm,” he added.
Chan, who arrived in the Kings last season in a trade from Phoenix Fuel Masters, was one of the key contributors for head coach Tim Cone during their championship run in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Chan, a former University of St. La Salle Bacolod standout prior to his move to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, is hoping to regain his shooting touch when the Kings battles Blackwater Elite tonight at Digos, Davao del Sur.
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Columbian Dyip’s Jaymar Perez was quick to validate his status as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 PBA Rookie Draft with a strong showing for his squad in the ongoing Honda PBA Philippine Cup.
The former NCAA MVP guided Columbian Dyip to a 2-4 win-loss record in his first six games in the season-opening Philippine Cup to emerge as the unanimous choice as the first ever recipient of the PBA Press Corps Rookie of the Month for January.
Perez immediately made his presence felt right on his PBA debut when he exploded for 24 second half points to steer the Dyip to a 124-118 upset of defending champion San Miguel Beermen.
The 25-year-old Perez led the Dyip in both scoring and rebounding with averages of 16.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, while adding 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals (tied for team-best).
The wingman out of Lyceum edged three other fellow talented rookies for the inaugural citation in Robert Bolick of NorthPort Batang Pier, Blackwater Elite’s Abu Tratter, and Javee Mocon of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Bolick, the no. 3 overall pick, averaged 14.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists as the Batang Pier went 2-1 in the first three games of the former San Beda star for the franchise.
The 7th pick overall, Tratter averaged a second team best 12.7 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds in the Elite’s first three outings for a 1-4 win-loss record.
Mocon, last year’s NCAA Finals MVP tabbed by the Elasto Painters in the draft at no.6, also made a good account of himself in his first three games where Rain or Shine went 4-1, posting averages of 9.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists./PN
