PBA coaches join marquee players in sick bay

Coca-Cola coach Kenneth Duremdes may have been retired for almost two seasons now, but that doesn’t mean he will be spared from any injury. The 1998 Most Valuable Player is calling the shots from the sidelines with a sling on his arm. Why? He injured his left arm during an exhibition game in Cebu, accidentally falling during the closing minutes of the match. “Pa-easy easy nga lang laro ni coach Kenneth eh tapos na-injured pa," Coca-Cola assistant team manager Gerard Francisco told GMANews.TV.

Duremdes is one of two PBA coaches on the “injured list," the other being Caloy Garcia of Rain or Shine, who's hurt not on the playing court, but because of a road mishap. Garcia missed a game for Rain or Shine as he was advised by his doctor to take a rest while his neck is in a cast. The two coaches along with several marquee players are among the casualties of injuries with the 35th season of the Philippine Basketball Association barely a month old. Three former Most Valuable Player awardees, a former Rookie of the Year, a Sixth Man awardee and other notable players populate this growing list. Asi Taulava of Coca-Cola, Jayjay Helterbrand of Ginebra, and Danny Ildefonso of San Miguel are the former MVPs stuck in sick bay. Taulava played just two games before straining his foot after falling on Aries Dimaunahan while Helterbrand aggravated an old harmstring injury and Ildefonso suffered a knee injury. Helterbrand’s partner at Ginebra, 2001 Rookie of the Year Mark Caguioa, injured his knee after spending the entire year rehabilitating his injury in the United States. Peter June Simon of Purefoods, a former Sixth Man of the Year awardee, has a contusion on his right knee, the reason he didn’t suit up in the Giants’ 108-102 triumph over the defending champion Talk N text Tropang Texters. Another member of the Giants, Raffi Reavis, suffered a pulled harmstring that prevented him from playing the past few games while Jared Dillinger of Talk 'N Text sustained a bruised rib. – GMANews.TV