By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Young Filipino hoops star Rhenz Abando will be sidelined for a while after absorbing multiple injuries in a regular season game of the Korean Basketball League (KBL).
During Abando and Anyang Jung Kwan Jang’s game against the Goyang Sono Skygunners, the high-leaping swingman suffered a bad fall in a battle for the offensive rebound with 4:24 remaining in the second quarter.
After a missed jumper from Anyang, Abando soared for the offensive rebound but crashed hard down the hardwood, resulting in a fracture to his third and fourth lumbar vertebrae, a concussion, and a sprained wrist.
Abando then quickly grabbed his head and was grimacing in pain. The KBL medical team tried to put him on a stretcher but fortunately, the Filipino stood on his own and wobbled directly to his bench.
As of now, Abando’s timetable of return is yet to be determined and he will be re-evaluated by the team’s doctors after a month.
According to an update by Jumpball Korea, Chinanu Onuaku, Goyang’s import who was seen slightly pushing Abando when he was in mid-air, was fined $2,317 (128,862 pesos) by the KBL committee.
After a thorough review of what transpired which led to Abando’s hard fall, the officials declared that Onuaku slightly pushed the Anyang high flyer which caused him to lose his balance on his way down.
With the unfortunate incident, Abando will most likely sit out the KBL All-Star festivities and will not be able to defend his crown as the league’s Slam Dunk king.
Abando is currently averaging 9.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists for the Jung Kwan Jang in the first 26 games of the season.
