The TNT Tropang 5G’s Game 4 win over the Meralco Bolts came at a cost: the Tropa lost one of their best players, veteran RR Pogoy, to a noncontact hamstring injury.
For TNT coach Chot Reyes, losing Pogoy means losing one of the Tropa’s key players on both ends.
“There’s no secret that Roger is a big part of what we do offensively and defensively. He’s our best perimeter defensive player,” Reyes said in the postgame presser after TNT took a 3-1 series lead over Meralco on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Pogoy has played in 15 of TNT’s 17 games in this PBA Philippine Cup and has put up 14.3 points (second on the team), 2.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.9 steals. He has also taken on the challenge of defending opposing teams’ best perimeter scorers, like Chris Newsome of the Bolts in these semifinals.
How Can TNT Make Up for RR Pogoy’s Absence?
Unfortunately for the Tropa, Pogoy is likely to miss at least a few games. Reyes isn’t complaining, though, as he knows fully well that injuries are part of any tournament. Instead, he’s banking on a next-man-up approach and TNT’s offseason acquisitions to fill the void.
“It’s just the next man up,” Reyes said. “Injuries are part of any kind of tournament, any kind of playoff run. Hopefully, it’s not too severe, but the way it looks, it’s not looking good. We just have to continue to figure out ways and make adjustments. But the reason why we made the moves that we made in the offseason was precisely for situations like this…”
Veteran big man Poy Erram and guards Simon Enciso and Kim Aurin were among those who stepped up in Pogoy’s absence in Game 4. Reyes is looking for more of the same from every other ka-Tropa moving forward.
“It’s just incumbent on the others to fill that void,” he said.
TNT will look to punch a ticket to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals in Game 5 on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia
