MANILA – Negrense forward Joe Devance of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings is set to miss the team’s campaign in the 2020 Philippine Basketball Association Cup as he is set to undergo stem cell procedure in Germany.
Devance, who trace his roots from Escalante City, Negros Occidental, said that he had enough dealing with pain relievers during practice sessions and games that he decided to take the procedure for his foot and knee.
The downside, however, was that Devance will miss at least three weeks to about a month for the Kings. Ginebra’s frontline is decimating further after having lost the seven-footer Gregory Slaughter.
“I have to sit out two or three weeks. I’m getting four shots, and (I have to sit out), three weeks after the shot,” Devance said. “It’s just reality. I take pain relievers every day just to practice. Its’ just the reality.”
“When I first started when I was younger, it was small pain relievers. Then it moved up to two and then three (pain relievers),” he added. “So I’m really, really excited of the thought of the steam cell thing working for me.”
The 38-year-old Devance recently inked a one-year contract extension with the Kings. Also given a new contract with Ginebra was undersized big man Prince Caperal.
Ginebra also offered rookie contracts to their rookie selections Arvin Tolentino and Jerrick Balanza, while guard Kent Salado is set to be signed by the team at the end of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League./PN
