SMART CLARK GIGA CITY — Roger Pogoy made Barangay Ginebra anxious late in Game Four of the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup Finals Sunday night.
The 6-foot-2 deadshot spearheaded the injury-riddled TNT’s gallant fightback from 18 points down. He nailed back-to-back three-pointers to get his side within just three, 85-88, with 2:47 remaining in the match.
LA Tenorio would respond with a three of his own, but he was quick to get back with another trey to again cut the deficit, 88-91. That started a shootout that brought those inside the AUF Sports and Cultural Center to the edge of their seats.
However, Ginebra proved to be the steadier team in crunch time, thanks mainly to Tenorio. The Gin Kings went on to secure the 98-88 victory.
It surely disappointed Pogoy that his 34-point effort went for naught, dropping TNT to 1-3 in the series. Still, his blazing performance left many impressed, including Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone.
“Pogoy, he came over to shake my hand and I said, ‘I don’t wanna shake your hand!’ I won’t tell you what I said — I said a swear word at him as a joke,” shared Cone with a chuckle moments after the match.
“I was afraid I was gonna get burned if I touched his hand. But he was amazing. He was absolutely amazing.”
Cone has often compared players of today to those he has coached or fought against in the past. When asked if Pogoy reminds him of someone, the comparison was lofty.
“It’s a completely different look, but the ability to get shots and shoot them with hands on your face and guys flying by you is Allan Caidic,” said Cone.
“I remember Allan when he hit our team once for 70 points. So I know what it’s like trying to guard Allan. He scored 70 points against us, and we had imports guarding him, and we had everybody guard him. It’s the same sense.”
Cone was likely recalling the time when Caidic — undoubtedly the greatest shooter in Philippine basketball — dropped 68 points to lead his Presto Tivoli past the Alaska Air Force in a high-scoring overtime game, 179-159.
The lefty gunner was just in his second year as a pro back then, although brimming with experience, already having played for Northern Cement national team. And in that game, he sank a total of 15 triples.
“It’s like, ‘Uh oh’ whenever he’s open and he has a shot or he’s taking a shot, it’s like, ‘Uh oh, it’s gonna go in.’ And when it doesn’t go in, it’s a big surprise. And the same thing used to be my feel for Allan,” Cone said.
“Allan was the same way. If he was open, it was like, ‘Oh, chalk that one up already’ before it already went to the rim.”
