MANILA, Philippines – Meralco’s uphill climb towards the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs has gotten steeper.

Bolts head coach Norman Black does not expect Raymond Almazan to play in their must-win game against NLEX after the big man suffered an apparent ankle injury in their 108-96 loss to Magnolia on Sunday, November 27.

Almazan got hurt with under 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, tweaking his right ankle upon landing after scoring a layup.

He needed to be carried off the court and never returned as the Bolts saw their three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 4-6 for ninth place.

“I don’t see him playing on Wednesday, that’s for sure,” said Black.

“We’ll have to see a doctor [on Monday] to find out exactly the extent of the injury. But the way it looks, it’s pretty bad.”

Almazan’s injury deals a major blow to Meralco’s quarterfinal hopes considering he played a major role in their three-game winning streak.

During that stretch, he normed 11.7 points, 12 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks.

Overall, he is averaging a near double-double of 10.4 points and 8.9 rebounds in 10 games as the regular starting center.

Without Almazan, the Bolts look to stun a Road Warriors side still brimming with confidence from their upset of Barangay Ginebra when they lock horns on Wednesday, November 30, at the PhilSports Arena.

After NLEX, Meralco will then end the elimination round against defending champion San Miguel on December 2. – Rappler.com