Heading into Game 7, TNT battles same injury demons

TNT opted not to field in Calvin Oftana and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, who are both dealing with injuries, in Game 6 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals. Their status is still up in the air for Game 7.–PBA IMAGES

When TNT thought it had outrun its ghosts of conferences past, the injury bug again bit the Tropang 5G at the worst time possible.

If, in the previous conference finalès TNT had to make do without Roger Pogoy, Poy Erram and Jayson Castro due to injuries, this time it’s not looking good for Castro, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Calvin Oftana in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals duel with Barangay Ginebra as they play Game 7 on Wednesday.

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Pogoy, though, held no fear about TNT’s situation. In fact, he was confident that the Tropang 5G will find a way to field a complete roster for the biggest game of the import-laden conference against the crowd-darling Gin Kings.

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“Right now, I declare. They’ll play in the next game,” he said, beaming after a high-wire 98-90 Game 6 win on Sunday. “I declare, with the Lord, that they’ll play in the next game.

“I’m proud of my teammates [who played Game 6] because they fought until the end even if we are incomplete,” he added. “At this stage, this is all about heart.”

The depleted Tropang 5G weren’t given much of a chance heading into Game 6, being two good players down in Oftana and Ganuelas-Rosser. Making matters worse was Castro, one of the Game 4 heroes, exiting the game early after an apparent ankle sprain.

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And that has led all three players to be labeled questionable for Game 7 at Mall of Asia Arena.

Plugging the holes

Import Chris McCullough plugged all the holes on Sunday, turning in his best game in a TNT jersey with a career-high 53 points that went with 22 rebounds to win his personal duel with Justin Brownlee, who just the game before smoked the TNT import’s behind with a 54-point night.

As someone who’s been in the league for quite some time now, Pogoy is aware of the unpredictability of Game 7—even with a complete roster.

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He is also well-versed on what’s needed to win a championship. So if anyone can talk about Game 7’s, it’s the Far Eastern University product, himself.

“Game 7 will show who really wants to win,” Pogoy said as TNT will try to replicate the way it won this conference last year, when it also wiped out a 3-2 deficit to win. “X’s and O’s are out the window.

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“Whoever plays with more desire to win, they’ll win,” he said. “That’s how it is.”