In just September of last year, Roger Pogoy faced a career-threatening ordeal after being diagnosed with a rare heart condition.
Fourteen months later, the seasoned guard found himself basking in glory anew after TNT defended its PBA Governors’ Cup crown against Ginebra – thus the immeasurable gratitude on his part to have been blessed this way.
“Grace talaga ni Lord. Blessing talaga ni Lord lahat ‘to,” he said moments after their 95-85 Game 6 win at the SMART Araneta Coliseum Friday night, drenched with all the celebratory champagne they popped inside the locker room.
Pogoy flashed the widest of smiles after the Tropang Giga’s golden run and he had every reason to be that happy, given what he had gone through.
There were fears the 31-year-old would face an extended absence after the doctors found out that he had myocarditis, the reason why he missed out on some opportunities – including the 19th Asian Games in China.
He was advised to rest for six months. But by God’s grace, as he’s always been proudly saying, the Cebuano cager returned to action just four months after the diagnosis and has since been suiting up for his team consistently.
Now, he’s enjoying his third PBA title, which should be the sweetest of all the league crowns he’s won thus far in his ongoing eight-year career. Not solely because it came after overcoming a major health scare, though.
Pogoy had always wanted to win a championship injury-free and at the Big Dome in front of a crowd, since he never experienced those in his first two victories.
His first taste of PBA gold happened in the Bacolor bubble in Pampanga. when they lorded over the 2021 Philippine Cup at the expense of Magnolia.
Title No. 2, on the other hand, came in the 2023 Governors’ Cup against the Kings as well, although he suffered a fractured pinky during Game 3.
Now, he’s checked off those wishes on his bucket list.
“Sobrang sarap talaga,” he exhaled. “Kasi noong last na nag-champion kami, injured ako eh.
“So, nasa isip ko talaga nun, sana mag-champion sa Araneta. Kasi nung unang championship ko, bubble. Sabi ko, sana mag-champion sa Araneta na nakakalaro ako,” added the Far Eastern University product.
He made sure to do his part, too, in turning that dream into reality. Pogoy finished with 12 points, none bigger than the dagger triple he struck with less than a minute left that started TNT’s celebration with the game all but settled.
“Tapos, ‘yun, naka-shoot pa ako ng dagger three. Nung pumasok ‘yung mga three-points ko, parang nasa alapaap na ako eh,” said the former Gilas gunner, who went 3-of-4 from three. “Sobrang sarap sa pakiramdam talaga.”
But aside from his outside sniping, it’s his defense – his bread-and-butter as a player – that helped the Tropa to rally back and secure the repeat.
He was among those who gamely took on the thankless job of guarding Justin Brownlee, although Game 6 saw him take the initiative of defending rookie playmaker RJ Abarrientos after his 18-point second-quarter explosion.
Abarrientos did finish with 31 points but he struggled to sustain his rhythm in the second half, all because of the effort his fellow Tamaraw exerted to limit him.
“Actually, sinabi ko talaga kay Coach na ako na dedepensa kay RJ,” Pogoy said. “Kasi sobrang ganda talaga ng laro niya ngayon, gusto kong i-stop. But hats off din kay RJ, kasi rookie pa lang pero ganun na ‘yung pinakita.”
Besides winning another championship, Pogoy was able to further solidify his status as one of the league’s best two-way players with that assertiveness he showed – it has always been a goal of his, after all.
“‘Yung tao na magsasabi niyan. But sa sarili ko, gusto kong i-establish sa pangalan ko na two-way player ako,” admitted the former Rookie of the Year. “Two-way player talaga ‘yung gusto kong i-establish sa pangalan ko.”
