Magnolia Hotshots import Romeo Travis politely declined interviews after Magnolia's 107-103 loss to Barangay Ginebra in Game 3 of the PBA Governors' Cup semifinals.
Travis had a rough night. While he made a few crucial baskets down the stretch, the former Best Import was limited to a PBA career-low 12 points in the loss that extended the best-of-five series.
Little did people know, Travis went straight to the hospital to have his hamstring checked. It turned out, he sustained a grade 2 strain which made him doubtful for a critical Game 4 at the Ynares Spors Center in Antipolo.
"I left the game and went straight to the hospital. I had MRI, IV fluids. I got there about 11 p.m., and I didn't leave until 6 a.m.," Travis said on Sports Center Philippines.
Heading into Game 4, Travis didn't know if he could play. Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero told him they were going to bring in another import in the event he could not get the green light.
Travis decided to play through pain and dropped 50 points in Magnolia's 112-108 win over Ginebra.
"There was no Game 5 for me. I told coach and my teammates I was going to do everything I could in Game 4. Because if we win this one it will be a break for the FIBA window, it will give me time to rest," Travis said. "But if there was a Game 5, I don't think I could put myself in that kind of stress again because it was really painful.
"I spoke to Coach Chito. He's very honest. He said, 'Hey we're gonna bring in another guy just in case I can't play.' But if I was 10 percent and I can walk and I wanna play, he said he's gonna let me play."
Travis admitted he had no idea he had reached 50 points since there's no scoreboard showing each player's score at the venue.
"I didn't even think about it. I didn't know I have 50. I'm just locked in," he said. "I've never even had a 50 in a video game. This is new to me. Scoring a lot, shooting a lot is new to me."
Travis, a close friend of NBA superstar LeBron James, is expected to take the same role when the Hotshots and Alaska start the finals on December 5.
The PBA is on a break for the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. The two-week break means Travis will have a chance to recover from his injury.
"I mean I can't predict the future," Travis said. "But if I can play, I'm gonna play. If I'm anywhere over 50 percent I'm gonna play."
Magnolia PT confident
Meanwhile, Magnolia physiotherapist Nick Ocampo is confident that injured import Romeo Travis will be "close to 100 percent" healthy by the time Game 1 of their 2018 PBA Governors' Cup finals against Alaska begins on Dec. 5.
Ocampo said the left-handed American will spend the rest of this week undergoing conservative rehab after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain in the first half of Game 3 of their semifinals against Barangay Ginebra.
"We intend to have a minimum of one week with him undergoing conservative rehab, after which we will do reassessment and diagnostic ultrasound to see the progress of the healing of his hamstring," Ocampo told ESPN5 on Monday.
Ocampo though is confident once Travis completes his rehab, he'll be ready for the opening game of the Governors' Cup championship series.
"Yes (Travis will be ready), if not close to 100 percent, almost 100 percent," he added.
The Magnolia therapist explained that the 33-year-old Travis won't be joining practice this week. The team will start preparing for the finals on Tuesday after taking a three-day break.
"We don't rush his recovery though he can lift weights just to keep his conditioning," explained Ocampo.
Before the start of Game 4, Travis took anti-inflammatory medicine and muscle relaxant, a reason why he seemed to move well.
ESPN5's Richard Dy contributed to this report