Playing like veteran

CEBU, Philippines — Roger Pogoy has been thriving in his off the bench role early in the season, providing the firepower for a TNT side that won back-to-back games last week.

Named Rookie of the Year this past season, Pogoy played like a grizzled veteran for the Katropa, who hammered the Blackwater Elite and sister team Meralco respectively, to grab a share of third spot with the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Cup.

Pogoy averaged 19.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal in TNT’s two-game win streak to grab the PBA Press Corps Player of the Week.

The young Cebuano hotshot was on target against the Elite, firing eight of his 24 points off the bench in the third canto to help turn a seven-point deficit into a 65-57 lead heading to the last canto.

TNT sustained its hot-shooting from there to register a 92-83 win against Blackwater last Wednesday with Pogoy hitting 10 of his 14 attempts from the floor. The former Far Eastern U standout also added eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in a solid all-around effort.

Pogoy wasn’t done though because four days later, the TNT young gunner joined forces with teammate Troy Rosario in dismantling Meralco, 99-81.

The 25-year-old Pogoy banged in 15 points, grabbed four rebounds, added two steals and issued an assist as the Katropa improved to 3-2 overall.

Pogoy beat his teammates Rosario, Jayson Castro and RR Garcia, KIA’s Rashawn McCarthy and Glen Khobuntin, Magnolia’s Rafi Reavis, Alaska forward Vic Manuel and Sonny Thoss, San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo and Arwind Santos as well as GlobalPort’s Sean Anthony for the weekly citation.— PBA Media Bureau