MANILA, Philippines – Roger Pogoy made his season debut for TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup, but the veteran shooting guard acknowledged that he is still not at full strength. Pogoy, who missed the team’s first two games due to back spasms, played 22 minutes in his return, contributing two rebounds and three points in a narrow 96-95 loss to the Converge FiberXers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Even after making a comeback, Pogoy’s recent injury and lack of practice were evident in his performance. Although the pain from his back spasms has decreased, the native of Minglanilla, Cebu, acknowledged that he is still having difficulty with his conditioning. Pogoy had hardly had two days of practise before the game, thus he didn’t have the “legs and wind” to play at his regular level. He only made one of his six field goal attempts, demonstrating his rustiness and the difficulties he encountered after being off the court for twelve days.

Pogoy observed that he still had poor timing and that it didn’t seem like he had entirely recovered his rhythm. The Tropang Giga were expecting a boost from his return to the starting lineup, thus this was a difficult way to start the season.

Nevertheless, Converge import Scotty Hopson’s outstanding performance eclipsed Pogoy’s comeback. Hopson performed the spoiler role by making a game-winning four-point jumper to seal the FiberXers’ 16-point comeback and win the game for Converge. As a result of the setback, TNT and Converge are currently tied atop Group A with identical 2-1 records.

Pogoy and the Tropang Giga have limited time to reflect on their loss going forward. Their next game is slated to take place at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Thursday against the Magnolia Hotshots. This forthcoming game gives TNT a chance to recover and reclaim the top spot in the rankings.

For TNT to win the rest of the tournament, Pogoy’s recuperation and ability to return to full health are essential. His getting back to his previous level as one of the team’s main players will be crucial if TNT wants to go far in the Governors’ Cup. Pogoy has a lot riding on him to get over his rough patch and become the dominant player the Tropang Giga know he can be.

Meanwhile, FiberXers aim to defeat rested Batang Pier for their second straight victory.

When CONVERGE plays an equally resurgent NorthPort squad in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Thursday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, it hopes to extend its unexpected ways.

The FiberXers are aiming for their third victory in four games overall and their second consecutive victory, which would match their season-long winning total.

But, interim coach Franco Atienza’s team should find the Batang Pier to be a major obstacle because coach Bonnie Tan’s team is eager to score their own second consecutive victory and move up to a 2-1 record.

Tan stressed the importance of the game to his players on the eve of the Converge encounter. He emphasized that the game’s result would be a crucial determinant of the team’s present place and potential in the conference going forward. Tan stated that winning would greatly increase their prospects of moving on to the next round, indicating how important the game was. He highlighted the match’s high stakes for the team’s advancement in the tournament by comparing its significance to that of a championship game.

One advantage NorthPort has over Converge is that it has slept more since defeating Terrafirma 112-93 last Friday, whereas Converge is playing immediately after a thrilling 96-95 victory over TNT last Tuesday.

Atienza acknowledged that his team should be busy, but there are benefits to defeating a great team like the reigning champion TNT.

“We’re gearing up for NorthPort tomorrow; it’s a short turnaround for us,” Atienza stated after the TNT match.

“But being able to grind out something like this, a really tough game against a tough team, it gets you a bit of confidence coming to the next game.”

The fact that William Navarro, who scored a career-high 31 points against Terrafirma but hurt his right ankle during practice last Tuesday, is a major question mark may help tip the scales in Converge’s favor.