PBA: Fingers crossed for Chris Newsome, Meralco amid knee injury

After dislocating his finger in Game 2, Chris Newsome hurt his knee in Game 3. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY--Meralco's win against TNT in Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals came at a price as the former finished the game without the injured Chris Newsome.

Newsome, one of the Bolts' well-known closers, sat out the final two minutes of the game after he injured his left knee when Chris Banchero fell on him following Rey Nambatac's offensive foul.

Although gingerly, Newsome was able to walk back to their bench on his own, but after the game, some of his friends, even from the TNT and San Miguel camps, expressed their concerns as he walked back to the Meralco dugout.

Upon leaving the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Newsome was seen wearing a knee support, adding to the concerning sight.

"Hopefully, it's nothing serious," Newsome said, adding that he was to quickly go to the nearest hospital for an MRI.

He further said that the sequence that led to the knee injury was an unfortunate incident, but he is not blaming anyone for it.

"It was an unfortunate situation, but it's one of those breaks of the game that is out of everyone's control, so it's no one's fault really. It's just part of the game," Newsome continued.

It is Newsome's second injury he suffered during the series, as he played through a dislocated finger in Game 2.

With only two nights of transition from Game 3 to Game 4, Newsome's status for Sunday night's lone semifinal visit to the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay is at most "questionable".