Roger Pogoy (left) triggered TNT’s breakaway towards Barangay Ginebra in Recreation 1. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ
For about 5 tense minutes on Friday night time, TNT seemed caught, uneasy below the lights of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals. Then Roger Pogoy received going.
Three consecutive three-pointers from Pogoy snapped TNT out of its funk, serving to the workforce shake off an early stoop and seize management of Recreation 1 towards Barangay Ginebra. By the ultimate buzzer, Pogoy had tallied 15 factors, second solely to import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s 34, as TNT secured a 95-89 victory at Mall of Asia Enviornment.
The muse for the win, nonetheless, was laid lengthy earlier than the opening tip.
“It’s large that we have been capable of apply right here yesterday,” Pogoy mentioned, crediting a late-night capturing session with teammates Almond Vosotros and Ping Exciminiano.
Even earlier than that, the seeds of confidence had been planted earlier within the week. On Tuesday, Pogoy and some workforce staffers visited Jayson Castro in Guagua, Pampanga, the place the injured TNT stalwart provided a easy however resonant message: “Don’t be afraid. Simply play your sport.”
That encouragement carried over to the sport, with Pogoy, Calvin Oftana and Rey Nambatac vowing to step up in Castro’s absence. “We informed one another that we can not afford to have a foul sport. We’re actually wanted,” Pogoy mentioned.
Experimental rotations
The technique labored. TNT’s scorching capturing—14 three-pointers, twice as many as Ginebra’s—allowed the workforce to construct an 18-point lead at its peak. Hollis-Jefferson, who had 23 factors within the first half alone, supplied the within presence, whereas Pogoy’s capturing opened up the ground.
Ginebra, nonetheless, refused to go quietly.
Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson each delivered double-doubles, and head coach Tim Cone experimented with completely different rotations, notably giving prolonged minutes to Jeremiah Grey within the fourth quarter. However their efforts weren’t sufficient to erase TNT’s lead.
“I’m kinda bored with saying we have been outplayed and outcoached,” Cone admitted postgame. “We received to alter the narrative.”
Sustaining momentum
That would be the objective heading into Recreation 2 on Sunday. Ginebra might want to discover a solution to decelerate Hollis-Jefferson, disrupt TNT’s perimeter capturing and get extra manufacturing from key gamers. Troy Rosario, Jamie Malonzo and RJ Abarrientos all struggled offensively, and the Gin Kings will want contributions throughout the board to degree the collection.
For TNT, the problem will probably be sustaining its momentum.
“We’ve got to be higher,” Hollis-Jefferson mentioned, cautious of Ginebra’s skill to regulate. “[We should] not let the lead drop, not let these psychological lapses take over the sport.”
TNT head coach Chot Reyes emphasised the significance of effort. “They’re actually working doubly laborious to make it troublesome for the opposite workforce. We all know how offensively potent that squad is,” he mentioned.
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The collection resumes on Sunday at Mall of Asia Enviornment, with TNT trying to tighten its grip on the championship whereas Ginebra goals to flip the script.
