TNT Tropang 5G gunner RR Pogoy torched the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Game 1 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals. He finished with 28 points.
If one would ask Andrei Caracut what spelled doom for Rain or Shine in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals opener against TNT, he would only say one name.
RR Pogoy.
“Si RR, talagang 'di namin mapigilan,” Caracut said after the 91-98 loss to the Tropang 5G at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, June 25.
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Caracut was spot on.
Pogoy fired 13 of his 28 points in the final period where the Tropang 5G turn the back-and-forth game into a breakaway.
His cold-blooded quadruple with 4:23 left to play gave them an 83-74 cushion and proved to be crucial, as the Tropang 5G went on to claim the opener of the best-of-seven series.
“Yung timing nung tira niya, 'yung four-points, 'yung pasa niya, mabigat eh. Kaya medyo lumayo sila nung huli,” Caracut, who topscored for Rain or Shine with 16 points.
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But Caracut and the Elasto Painters are moving on from this as Game 2 is set two days later at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Rain or Shine, he added, needs to solve the RR Pogoy riddle and their rebounding woes as the Elasto Painters look to even the best-of-seven series.
“'Yung mga kulang namin, 'yun 'yung inadress kanina. 'Yung rebounds, 'yung ginawa ni Pogoy. Siya 'yung talagang nakaka-shoot nung huli. Adjustment para sa Friday,” he said when asked what ROS coach Yeng Guiao told them inside the dugout.
Gametime is set at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 27.