Davao Occidental's MPBL season in peril as Mark Yee feared to have suffered plantaris tear

Mark Yee is doubtful for Game 3 between Davao Occidental and Bicol. MPBL (file photo)
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--All of a sudden, Davao Occidental is now in danger of becoming the highest seeded team knocked out after the first round of the MPBL Playoffs.

The reigning Southern Division champion may need to play without Mark Yee in Game 3 of its Round of 16 series against Bicol on Wednesday night.

The hardworking forward was initially diagnosed with a plantaris muscle rupture in his right calf. He took a checkup on Saturday, but the result was only publicized late Tuesday night.

Yee believed to have suffered the said injury in Game 2 of the Tigers-Volcanoes series on Friday night, in which he grimaced in pain at the 3:05 mark of the second quarter.

Yee never returned to the game, and Bicol eventually stunned Davao Occidental to send the series to a rubber match.

A plantaris tear, also known as a "tennis leg" since the injury is more common among tennis players, may take up to two months to fully heal, which means Yee could miss the rest of the playoffs if the result of the MRI confirms the said injury.

However, with the Tigers' season on the line on Wednesday night at the PetroGazz Arena in Davao City, Coach Don Dulay could take the risk and activate Yee for the rubber match.

"Sa ngayon nakadepende kay Coach kung ipapasok niya ako. Pero kung ako, bahala na si God. Siya na bahala sa akin," said Yee, who is listed as doubtful for Game 3.

While everyone awaits the final decision of Dulay, Yee said that the Tigers will strive to finally lock in a South semis spot at the expense of the Volcanoes.

"Dadaanin namin sa dasal at tiwala kay God, sasamahan din namin ng sipag at tiyaga. Magtutulungan lang talaga kami. Walang imposible," he further said.

The winner of the Bicol-Davao Occidental game scheduled at 9 p.m. will face the winner of the other first round rubber match between Batangas City and Zamboanga at 7 p.m. in the next round.

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