Roi Sumang will have a tough task at hand as he squares-off against mentor Paul Lee
After starting the conference with a 4-2 record, the Blackwater Elite’s youth showed, dropping three of their last four games. A heart-breaking loss to the lowly-Mahindra Floodbuster started the stretch and was capped by a tough defeat at the hands of Barangay Ginebra.
“Sobrang hirap kasi dapat nandoon kami sa taas. Ngayon, lumubog kami,” second-year guard Roi Sumang lamented.
With a 5-4 slate and just one game remaining in their calendar, the Elite enter Wednesday’s game against Star Hotshots with their backs against the wall. The Hotshots still have three games left and are situated at ninth place in the standings. A loss to them can virtually seal the fate of the young Elite.
Sumang, who has been on a tear with norms of 15.5 points on 53 percent shooting and 2.3 assists in their last four games, knows that they are facing a tough obstacle on Wednesday.
Standing right in front of him and their dreams of making the post-season is Paul Lee and the Star Hotshots.
For years, Lee has been a mentor to the 26-year-old floor general. And Lee even watched Sumang on the stands when he was with the University of the East.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARgv1TYuqig
“Sobrang hirap yata nun, especially against Paul. Sobrang idol ko si Paul since college days namin. Sa kanya ako nagpapaturo,” Sumang, who like Lee resides in Tondo, Manila, shared.
“Kahit sa PBA, sa kanya ako nagtatanong. Nandoon pa si Jio [Jalalon] pa, hay nako. Ang hirap matulog eh.”
But Sumang is willing to go the extra mile against his mentor as he will enter the game with a “kill or be killed”-mindset.
“Dapat talaga magtrabaho kami. Kailangan namin ito. Sa Wednesday parang patayan talaga. Gusto namin makapasok this coming conference,” he stressed.
