Kai Sotto understandably looked dejected watching Gilas Pilipinas’ tune-up game against the Macau Black Bears on Monday night.
And it showed.
During halftime of the Nationals’ bout with the Black Bears, Sotto was at the Araneta Coliseum tunnel, delighting fans with selfies and group photos. Sure, there was the smile and the eagerness to interact with fans, but one could sense a deep hurt in the 7-foot-3 beanpole.
He wore a slight frown in between those photo ops simply because he felt helpless watching his brothers-in-arms struggle against the Black Bears in the first half.
“This is one of the reasons why I don’t like watching basketball live,” Sotto told the Inquirer during the halftime break on Monday. “I miss the game even more, and I feel more anxious. Of course, I want to help the team and the country.”
Sotto has been out for the last seven months and is recovering from ACL surgery.
“They (Filipinos) just had a slow start,” he went on. “Maybe they just feel fatigued because of the training camp they had because I know how this team prepares. They’ll bounce back in the second half.”
The Japanese B.League Filipino-import was on point with his fearless forecast, as the Nationals roared back from 21 points down to carve out a 103-98 win.
At the buzzer, just for a little while, Sotto’s look of anxiousness was replaced with a smile as he joined the squad at center court for a heartfelt huddle in front of numerous fans inside the Big Dome.
In place of the Ateneo product, AJ Edu stepped up big in the middle and finished with 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Kevin Quiambao also wreaked havoc in the paint with 14 points and five rebounds.
As much as Sotto wants to help, especially in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the Fiba Asia Cup next week, there’s simply no timetable for him to do so with several more months of recovery needed.
“As of now, I have no timetable for return so I take things day-by-day,” he said. “Every time I’m in rehab, I want to think that I am better than I was yesterday.
The talented center sustained his injury earlier this year in the B.League in Japan, when he went down awkwardly in his Koshigaya Alphas’ match with the Mikawa Sea Horses last January.
It was a pity not only for the Gilas squad, but to Sotto more importantly, as he was catching his stride for Koshigaya with averages of 13.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 blocks per game before the injury.
Fortunately, rehab has been treating the Gilas big man well and said he’s been “feeling okay,” and on the road to complete recovery.
“I’ve been okay so far, it’s my sixth month heading into seventh this August, so I’m not rushing this,” he said. “I’m making sure that I get fully recovered when the time comes.”
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Sotto flies out with the team to the Kingdom on Thursday, and there, he will again have a chance to oblige for photos and autographs with overseas Filipino workers. He will again experience the pain of being helpless as he watches his teammates battle it out with the best in the continent.
But if things go to plan, he may also join the team in a meaningful centercourt huddle in celebration.
