Just how badly did sweet-shooting Cebuano wingman Roger Pogoy miss basketball?
On Sunday, the Talisay City-native lit up the Alaska Aces for 10 three-pointers en route to scoring a career-high 45 points to lead his TNT Tropang Giga to a 100-95 victory in the first game of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup restart on Sunday evening at the Angeles University Foundation gym in Pampanga.
It was an outing made even more impressive by the fact that the University of Cebu high school product went scoreless in the first quarter before finally getting it going in the second where he scored 21 points, the most by a TNT player since import KJ McDaniels scored 22 points in the third canto of a win against the Meralco Bolts in last year’s Governors’ Cup.
“Na-realize nako katung sunod-sunod na akong mga three-pointers,” said Pogoy when asked when he realized it just might be his night.
His tally though, was the farthest thing in his mind as he was intent on helping the Giga, especially after going down by as much as 17 points.
“Hindi ko alam na ganun na pala iniiskor ko. Kasi ang inisiip ko talaga yung panalo eh, tapos palagi pa kami naghahabol, so gusto ko lang talaga manalo. Hindi ko naisip na ganun na pala iniiskor ko,” added Pogoy.
More than anything, Pogoy felt joy in finding himself back on a PBA hardcourt, competing against fellow PBA players.
“Sobrang lipay kaayo ko kay nakabalik na jud ug duwa after pila ka months,” said Pogoy.
The University of Cebu high school product though, noted that it might take a while for everyone to get their timing right, and it showed during their sloppy play early on.
“Sa una wala jud mi sa timing. Lisod kaayo pag una,” shared Pogoy. (JNP)