By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
What a big blow for the Meralco Bolts.
With only one game remaining before the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup playoffs kick-off, the Bolts just suffered a major loss in their roster after floor general Aaron Black was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on his right knee.
The development was confirmed on April 29, 2024, after Meralco team manager Paolo Trillo announced that the MRI results showed that Black tore his right ACL.
According to Luigi Trillo, Meralco’s head coach, Black heard a pop in his knee when the incident happened during their game against the Magnolia Hotshots Chicken Timplados.
At the 10:09 mark of the third quarter, Black drove down the lane and challenged the defense of Magnolia’s center James Laput.
However, after sprinting down the basket, Black fell down and immediately grimaced in pain while holding his right knee.
It was then a moment of silence for the whole Meralco franchise after seeing Black down in the court, failing to get up on his own for about two minutes.
Black was then carried by his teammates to the dugout and had to pull off the win without their savvy ball handler.
The Bolts eventually outdueled the Chicken Timplados, 74-51, but will have to prepare for their next game without the availability of Black.
Meralco’s next schedule will be on May 4, 2024, their last game of the regular season, against the undefeated San Miguel Beermen team in Batangas City.
