Roger Pogoy struggled to find the mark due to his increased workload on the other side of the floor in TNT’s Game 1 loss in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
One of the league’s top two-way specialists only mustered six points on a measly 2-of-10 clip from the field as he struggled to catch rhythm all game long no thanks to the unenviable task of guarding Justin Brownlee.
The three-time Best Import, for his part, made it one long night for the 30-year-old and the rest of the Tropang Giga as he finished with 31 points — 17 in the first quarter alone — and 12 rebounds to lead the Kings to the 102-90 win.
But Pogoy refuses to make excuses whatsoever, saying that it is his duty to play his best on both ends of the floor since it’s a role he’s entrusted with.
“Kailangan ko talaga dumepensa rin e. Kailangan depensa tsaka opensa,” he said shortly after the game at the SMART Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.
“‘Di ako magdahilan na dahil dun sa depensa kaya hindi na-shoot mga tira ko. Ganun talaga. Kailangan doble ‘yung trabaho ko,” he furthered.
Pogoy’s Game 1 output was his second-lowest in the conference, just behind the four he made versus Meralco in the eliminations last February 17.
Sunday also marked his worst shooting night of the season-ending tournament as he was making 54.0-percent of his shots prior to the Finals.
His performance was a microcosm of TNT’s struggles as a whole, which saw them make just 38-percent of their shots — indeed far from the 47.4-percent clip that helped the flagship MVP franchise shoot its way to the Last Dance.
It was indeed one of those tough nights but Pogoy said that it’s on him to figure out how to deliver better on both ends without compromising one for the other.
“Mahirap, pero ganun talaga eh. Kailangan dalawa ‘yung trabaho ko. Kaya andito ako sa posisyon ko kasi ganyan talaga trabaho ko,” he said.
“Hanapan ko ng paraan talaga, kung paano ako makakakuha na dedepensa ako kay Justin, dedepensa kahit sino, tapos opensa,” the Gilas Pilipinas stalwart furthered.
“Next game, hahanapan ko ng paraan.”
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The 2023 PBA Governors Cup Finals is live-streamed on SMART Sports.
