EDITORS DESK
One needs little comprehension, or maybe a good set of eyes and an ounce of intellect to spot the missing link that doomed Gilas Pilipinas in its recent run in Doha for some friendly games and in the third window of FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
Perhaps, it wasn't divine intention and just a dash of bad luck, but what a twist of fate he had when Kai Sotto, who was already earning his stripes for years of endless pursuit of prominence, tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee in Japan early last month.
It was catastrophic, to say the least.
Sotto, the 7-foot-3 giant and proudly a full-blooded Filipino, was on his way to greater heights and was the biggest revelation for the national team in 2024 with his excellent contributions in the two FIBA windows where he averaged 15.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.
In Japan where he served as a reinforcement for B.League Division 1 team Koshigaya Alphas, the 22-year-old was equally impressive with 14.3 points and 8.4 rebounds, accounting much of the numbers despite his ball club free-falling in the standings.
Like in his usual plays where he would dominate his helpless and smaller defenders with easy baskets one after another, Sotto is up there, soaring and slam-dunking with his full might and making use of his tall frame and an incredible wingspan.
But with life as the biggest mystery, gravity played the spoiler and pulled him down really hard.
An ACL injury is one serious challenge that any athlete could face. The tear is on the ligaments that connect two major bones in the knee area. It requires intricate surgery and a recovery period of six to nine months. For some individuals who see sports as the main source of livelihood, that long hiatus means disaster.
And the void extends to Sotto's national team duties. He was sorely missed in Gilas' mishap in the third and final window of the Asia Cup Qualifiers where the team dropped two games on the road, one against Chinese Taipei (84-91), and the other against New Zealand (70-87).
In Doha, Gilas fell to Egypt, 86-55, and against Lebanon, 75-54, both in lopsided fashions.
He provided rim protection with his more than 7-foot of ceiling, the mobility coming from his youthful energy, and most importantly the promise that goes beyond his impact as a player on the court — he is Kai Sotto and we Filipinos certainly see the future in him.
In this basketball-crazed nation where passion is paramount, Sotto is not one to surrender his dreams.
In one photo he posted on social media early this week, he was seen working out in the gym, showing signs of progress and his muscles looking bulkier.
On his left knee is the scar left by the surgery, unmistakably the reminder of the adversity he had been through.
Few years from now, it would only serve as a sign of great resilience. He was shaken, but not destroyed.
Sotto will come back stronger.
(Ramon Rafael Bonilla is the Sports Editor of Manila Bulletin)