MANILA, Philippines – AJ Edu’s return to Gilas Pilipinas duty hit a snag just weeks before the second window of FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Edu hurt his right knee when his Nagasaki Velca absorbed a 71-68 loss to the Akita Northern Happinets in the Japan B. League on November 9.
Going for a routine rebound with under seven minutes left in the third quarter, the 6-foot-10 big man looked in pain upon his landing and immediately subbed out.
He never returned and did not play the next game.
“It doesn’t look like we’re gonna get AJ. I was so excited I’d get AJ this time. And then just yesterday, or a day before, we heard about his knee,” national team head coach Tim Cone said in a press conference on Wednesday, November 13.
“The Japanese team he plays for didn’t want him to come. It was so depressing. I was upset. That’s part of the game. Injuries are part of the game.”
Edu’s latest injury marked another setback in his young national team career.
He also missed the first window of the Asia Cup Qualifiers and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament earlier this year due to knee issues, with his last appearance for Gilas coming in the FIBA World Cup last year.
But team manager Richard del Rosario said Edu will still fly to the Philippines and join the squad in its training camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna.
“He’s arriving today and then we will make our assessment with our trainers, our own trainers and medical staff, and see from there. It depends on his recovery if he will be available for the window,” said Del Rosario.
“It’s unfortunate because the injury happened just days before coming into this window, but we are still hopeful that he can recover in time and we can only see that once he arrives in the country.”
Edu is averaging 6.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 blocks in the current B. League season.
Gilas will enter camp on Friday, November 15 — a week before it hosts New Zealand and Hong Kong on November 21 and 24, respectively, at the Mall of Asia Arena. – Rappler.com