Kai Sotto out with back injury

(UPDATE) FILIPINO young big man Kai Sotto is out for an indefinite period of time due to a lumbar disc hernia, his Japan B.League squad Hiroshima Dragonflies announced over the weekend at its official website.

«As for #11 Sotto, the timing of his return is undetermined and there are various constraints, so we have not decided what adjustments will be made at this point,» the Dragonflies general manager Shuji Okazaki was quoted in the team's website.

Okazaki said, other than the 7-foot-3 Sotto, the team's other key members out due to separate injuries include Dwayne Evans, Nick Mayo and Kerry Blackshear.

The Dragonflies dropped a narrow 88-84 decision to Division 3 B.League squad Gifu Swoops in their match over the weekend in the 99th Emperor's Cup All Japan Basketball Championship.

Sotto is coming off a stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the just-concluded 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila.

The back injury is not new anymore considering that the Filipino giant encountered that the first time during his final game with the Orlando Magic in the NBA Summer League recently.