TRAGIC FALL

Andrew Vincent Velasco of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu is carried off by paramedics after breaking his right leg during a game against Don Bosco at the Cebu Coliseum last night.
cdn photo/lito tecson

Ateneo de Cebu loses Velasco due to horrific leg injury

While the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles welcomed back reigning league MVP, Jed Colonia, they lost leading scorer Andrew Vincent Velasco for the rest of the season after he suffered a horrific injury in a game against the Don Bosco Greywolves in the 17th Cesafi high school basketball tournament yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Velasco was leading the break and rammed into Don Bosco big man Miguel dela Torre. He lost his balance, fell and landed awkwardly on his right leg, breaking it in the process, the bone clearly piercing the skin.

Emergency medical personnel led by the Cesafi’s head physician Dr. Rhoel Dejano immediately tended to the young 18-year-old Velasco and brought him to University of Cebu Medical Center for further treatment.

Dejano said that more tests needed to be administered to properly examine the extent of the injury. Surgery, he said, was a possibility.

After the game, Magis Eagles head coach Rommel Rasmo said that he urged his wards to play even harder in the wake of Velasco’s terrible injury.
“I told them that that’s part of the game. There’s nothing we can do except pray for Andrew’s recovery,” Rasmo said.

The Magis Eagles went on to defeat the Greywolves, 58-50.

“I told them that it would be tough to lose Andrew and the game at the same time. I’m happy they responded well,” said Rasmo.

Colonia’s return is a welcome development for the Magis Eagles after he suffered a torn ACL during the Cebu finals of the National Basketball Training Center earlier this year.

Though Colonia played sparingly, his workload is expected to be ramped up in the coming games to help him round into form.