TNT is all too familiar with this situation, so Roger Pogoy isn’t pushing the panic button just yet, even after Ginebra pushed them to a dangerous position in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
The Tropang 5G are now staring at a 3-2 deficit following a heartbreaking OT loss in Game 5 on Friday night. Still, the star winger remained defiant, for they have proven in the past that they can overcome such a hurdle and win it all.
“Galing din kami sa ganito dati, na 3-2,” he reflected moments after their 100-95 defeat in Game 5 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, which lured 18,039 fans.
In the Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals, the flagship MVP franchise came back from a similar deficit, with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson leading the way and Rey Nambatac eventually bagging Finals MVP honors.
The Kings also took Game 5 by way of a 73-66 decision, but their rivals replied with an 87-83 win in Game 6. There, Poy Erram delivered by scoring 10 of his 14 points in the fourth to redeem himself after an outburst in the previous bout.
Momentum would shift the Tropa’s way, but they needed extra time before taking Game 7, 87-83. Glenn Khobuntin emerged as the unlikely hero, helping keep them in the fight after trailing 70-64 early in regulation.
Now, they’re in that same position, and Pogoy has all the trust in the rest of TNT that they can climb back the way they did in the previous series.
“Basta trabahuhin lang namin, walang imposible. Sabi ko na nga, unang maka-apat, so tatlo pa naman. May chance pa,” said the four-time champion.
But of course, it’s not lost on him that it would entail a lot of effort and polishing what needs to be, especially after blowing an 87-80 lead late in the fourth.
“Sobrang hirap kasi sa amin na ‘yung momentum eh, nung fourth quarter,” said Pogoy, who finished with 23 points and six rebounds but struggled in OT.
“‘Pag Ginebra talaga ang kalaban, ‘di ka puwedeng basta-basta mag-relax. Dami rin namin turnovers, missed free throws kaya nahabol.”
A big part of their game plan will be to limit Justin Brownlee as much as they can, after the 38-year-old strapped the Barangay on his back and had a career-high 54 points and 14 rebounds.
“Justin is Justin talaga eh,” said the Cebuano star, who had the unenviable task of guarding ‘JB’ for most of the match. “Grabe ‘yung ginawa ni Justin. May mga instance kasi na may open shot siya e, ‘yun ‘yung sayang eh.
“Ok sana kung one-on-one. Kaso lang may mga mali pa rin kami sa game plan, may mag open shots siya [at] hindi siya napapagod.”
