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RR Pogoy was a game-time decision, but he ended up leading the charge as TNT maintained its hot streak with an emphatic 110-91 victory over once-undefeated Phoenix at the PBA Philippine Cup on Monday.
Doubtful for Monday’s game after spraining his ankle in his previous game against San Miguel Beer, Pogoy lost 10 of his 30 points in a round in the third quarter that turned a recovery game into a clinic.
TNT retained an immaculate 4-0 record, while Phoenix absorbed its first loss after a 2-0 start in Clark’s bubble.
Scoring came close to Tropang Giga in the third quarter, where they outscored the Fuel Masters, 30-14, highlighted by a 9-0 blitz that gave the league leaders a 75-68 lead. They held the lead for the remainder of the game, with Pogoy and Troy Rosario conspiring in the final 6 minutes to orchestrate the breakaway.
While Pogoy turned off the lights with 5 of 11 shots from beyond the arc, TNT head coach Bong Ravena believed that it was all defense that led the team to victory.
“During the first one, we’re really having a hard time. They started very well and strongly. Give Phoenix credit, they are not easy prey,” Ravena said. “We were lucky to have adjusted in the second half. Everything is defense. I must say that our defense really helped us.”
Still, Ravenna was all praise for Pogoy, whom he described as “Wolverine.”
“As for RR, we call this kid ‘The Wolverine’. For us coaches, we are supposed to let him rest. But this kid, he wants to play and this was a very important game for us,” he said. “We are lucky to have players like that, with all our hearts … He honestly came here observing how he felt and maybe he thought he could play and we let him play.”
Pogoy had a lot of help from his teammates. Poy Erram finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks, Simon Enciso scored 13, while Bobby Ray Parks Jr. and Rosario had 12 and 11, respectively.
“Credit to my teammates. We really move the ball and whoever is open has to shoot,” Pogoy said during the exit interview.
Meanwhile, TNT’s victory spoiled Matthew Wright’s 31-point effort. Wright and Pogoy are the only players in the current conference with a pair of 30-point games.
THE SCORES
TNT 110 – Pogoy 30, Erram 18, Enciso 13, Parks 12, Rosario 11, Reyes 10, Castro 10, Washington 3, De Leon 3, Semerad 0, Alejandro 0.
Phoenix 91 – Wright 31, Napoli 10, Perkins 8, Jazul 7, Marcelo 5, García 5, Heruela 4, Reyes 6, Intal 4, Gamboa 4, Ríos 0.
Quarterscores: 24-24, 45-54, 75-68, 110-91
EXTRA JARS
– Castro became the 35th player overall to score 8,000 points after scoring his first 4 in the first half, according to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon. He joined an elite cast that included James Yap, Mark Caguioa, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, and Asi Taulava.
– TNT had an incredible defensive performance with 10 blocks and 6 steals.
– Wright was a perfect 13 of 13 from the free throw line. According to Mangonon, it was the most without fail in a game since LA Tenorio finished 13/13 in 2017.
NEXT GAMES
TNT – vs Blackwater on October 22
Phoenix – vs Geneva on October 21
