Flight No. 3 gets grounded

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel small forward Jamie Malonzo will be out for an extended time after undergoing surgery on his left calf, Gin Kings and Gilas Pilipinas head coach Time Cone announced Saturday.

Malonzo went under the knife Friday and will be sidelined for months, ruling him out for Barangay Ginebra and the national team’s campaign in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia, running from 2 to 7 July.

“His recovery time is going to be measured in months not weeks,” Cone said following the Gin Kings’ 99-77 win over Magnolia in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup quarterfinals last Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The 27-year-old athletic winger sustained the injury in the waning seconds of the Gin Kings’ victory over NorthPort last 14 April after a slip while trying to drive hard to the basket.

He was initially assessed to be out for at least two months. However, doctors advised that he needed the surgery to get his explosiveness back.

Ginebra dedicated its formal entry to the best-of-seven semifinals to Malonzo. The Gin Kings will face the winner between NLEX and Meralco in the next round.

“He just had his surgery yesterday (Friday) and I’m sure he watched us on TV. I know he’s champing at the bit to get back in which is gonnna take a while for him,” Cone said.

“But basically, this game is for him. We did it for him.”

Gilas is bunched with Georgia and host Latvia in Pool A of the six-nation OQT leg where one ticket to the Paris Summer Games is at stake.

Malonzo is expected to rejoin the Ginebra in the 49th PBA Season and Gilas for the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers by November when the Philippines hosts the second window against Hong Kong and New Zealand.