Kurt Reyson, who was previously ruled out for the rest of the season due to an injury, said he is expecting to play one last time for Colegio de San Juan de Letran come their season-ending game against rival San Beda University next Friday.
Letran head coach Rensy Bajar announced last Tuesday that the graduating team captain will miss the remainder of NCAA Season 99 after hurting his hamstring during their game against EAC last November.
Reyson is averaging 13.45 points, 3.64 rebounds, and 3.45 assists in 11 games in this tournament.
Despite the injury, the 5-foot-9 guard wants to have a proper exit from Muralla.
"Nag-usap kami ni Coach Rensy (Bajar) regarding diyan, gusto ko pang maglaro sa Beda game kasi ayun ‘yung last game ko sa final year ko," Reyson said on Sunday on the heels of their 72-54 loss to Benilde.
"Okay naman na ‘yung hamstring ko saka ‘yung groin ko kasi nagre-rehab naman ako pero hindi siya 100-percent. Lalaruin ko lang ‘yung last game ko this season basta full sleeve lang ako at kung ano ‘yung mga dapat suotin, susuotin ko na lang."
("I've spoken to Coach Rensy about it, I want to play in the Beda game because that will be the last game of my final year. My hamstring and my groin are okay, I'm doing rehab on it, but it's not 100-percent. I'll play the last game this season, and I'll wear a full sleeve and whatever else I'll have to wear.")
It has been a crazy ride for Reyson and the rest of the Knights this season.
After completing only the second three-peat in the school's history last season, Letran found itself in the cellar in the ongoing season, bagging just two wins and seeing their four-pear ambitions extinguished early.
Personally, Reyson, too, has had a tough year after being saddled with injuries that forced him to miss six games in total and leaving Bajar and the Knights without their main go-to guy on the floor.
Still, Reyson sees a bright future for the Knights as only he and Ira Batallier will graduate after this season.
"So far, wala kaming masabi sa coaching staff kasi ‘yung effort nila, nandon naman eh. Kumbaga, parang panaginip lang talaga ‘to," Reyson said.
"Ang laki ng expectations sa team namin kasi three-peat (champions) kami pero gano’n talaga, may ups and downs sa buhay pero tinanggap din naman namin na gano’n ‘yung nanagyari. Pero babawi ‘yung team kasi magreregroup naman sila."
("So far, we have to hand it to our coaching staff because of their effort, it's there. This stretch, this might just be a dream... The expectations on the team were huge because of the three-peat, but it happens, there are ups and downs in life, but we accepted it. The team will just have to bounce back and regroup.")
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
