‘Basketball the right way’ key to TNT ending long PBA title spell

Poy Erram (No. 7) got to play his heart out for the coach who let him do his thing. —PBA IMAGES

Sometime during the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals, TNT big man Poy Erram said that playing for comebacking coach Chot Reyes was a “dream come true.”

“He lets you play basketball the right way,” he said. “And for me, that’s the best thing that can happen to a player—if the coach lets you play.”

Reyes did let everyone play, and the Tropang Giga chopped down one giant team after another to win the PBA Philippine Cup and end a six-year title wait.

It was truly a heartwarming culmination for several members of the team, as Friday’s championship gave Erram his first title with the team that drafted and then left him out in the cold several years ago. It also ended a title hunt for young cornerstones Roger Pogoy and Troy Rosario, who have been with the the team in its last three botched tries.

Complete career

“I’ve been waiting for this for five years,” said Pogoy, who is finally a champion in every level of the sport.

“I can finally say I’m both a champion in college and here in the pros,” added Rosario.

There’s also Jayson Castro, the team’s fleet-footed star who tabbed his seventh title in a 13-year TNT tenure, which was once tested by a mouthwatering offer overseas.

“It’s truly special for me. This could go down as one of my unforgettable championships. This is for the students who are dreaming,” said Castro, who hoisted the trophy right at Don Honorio Ventura State U in Bacolor, Pampanga—the very gym where his basketball dreams began.

It’s also memorable, too, for Mikey Williams, as the title will forever be attached to a personal feat of becoming the first rookie Finals Most Valuable Player in nearly two decades.

“I took a minute to adjust. But everybody behind me welcomed me with open arms. They definitely made my job a lot easier. They just gave me the confidence, continued to push me and we all just continued to work. But I gotta thank everybody behind me—the 15 (other players) and the coaches. We all got it done,” he said.

Veteran winners

And who could forget Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes, the club’s battle-tested veterans who were virtually out of commission before this season started? They both won their seventh titles, as well.

“I’m so grateful to coach Chot, bringing in a 39-year-old retiree back to the team and putting so much trust in me. That was huge for me,” said Williams.

Chot, for his part, was quick to deflect credit. While he already had the chops to pull off such a feat, it was still the players themselves who put on the work.

He said the campaign was a reward for all the hardships they had to go through: The many out-of-town training camps amid the torturous restrictions brought on by the pandemic, the time away from their families and the many injuries sustained along the way.

“They really put in the effort and stayed together through adversity,” he said.

“I’m really excited. Having these teammates has been a treat,” said Pogoy. “We truly enjoy each other’s company.

“I’m super excited to see what’s in store for us,” he added. INQ