ANTIPOLO, Rizal -- The NLEX Road Warriors' maiden semifinal campaign suffered a big blow just 40 seconds into Game 5 after point guard Kevin Alas sustained a knee injury while driving to the basket.
The Hotshots went on to win 87-78 to take a 3-2 series lead, and now the Road Warriors face the prospect of playing the do-or-die Game 6 on Tuesday without a key member of their guard rotation.
Alas fell to the floor in pain, and it took a while for him to get up. Although he was able to walk back to the NLEX bench on his own, he did so with an obvious limp and proceeded to the team's locker room for treatment. Initially he thought that he could suit up in the second half since he didn't feel too much discomfort while walking to the bench, and his knee was iced and taped in an effort to get him back on the court. But it was then that he felt some pain, which prompted him to decide to sit out the rest of the game.
The fourth-year guard said he still doesn't know what exactly happened. "I haven't watched the replay yet. It was just me, so I really can't tell," he told reporters after the game. "The last thing I remember was stopping suddenly and my shoe stuck to the floor."
Alas will have his knee examined on Monday by Dr. George Canlas, the same orthopedic surgeon who operated on Magnolia's Marc Pingris after the latter tore his ACL in Game 1, adding that the team's physical therapist didn't think the injury was that serious.
Still, he said it was frustrating for him to watch helplessly as the Road Warriors fell apart in the fourth quarter. "I cried on the end of the bench because I wanted to help but I couldn't do anything," he revealed. "Even if I wanted to play in the second half, they advised me not to because the injury might just get worse."
NLEX rookie Kiefer Ravena said Alas's absence told on the team.
"That was big," Ravena said. "It kind of messed up our rotation. He was really the one motivating us because he's one of our co-captains. He was telling us to be sharp before the game. Then that happened. He's really an integral part of our system. Hopefully he can play the next game."