Even without Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jayson Castro in the final minutes of Game 2, TNT pulled off a 2-0 lead over Rain or Shine in the PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinals.
When Rondae Hollis-Jefferson fouled out with almost six minutes left to play, the brunt of the defensive assignment fell on Poy Erram.
Erram was up for the task.
But as crucial as he was, Poy also was quick to their team defense that actually allowed TNT to weather Rain or Shine’s late storm for a 93-91 win in Game 2 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals last Feb. 28.
“It’s really hard kasi ang laking kawalan ni Rondae. Pero lagi ko ngang sinasabi na we’re capable as a team na dumepensa as a team,” said Erram, who was hailed Player of the Game as the Tropang Giga took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7.
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“Although kaya namin individually, pero mas malakas kami [if] we defend as a team. So yun ginawa namin sa dulo.”
TNT coach Chot Reyes shares the same sentiment, expressing his confidence in his squad to deliver even without an import.
“I think we have a potent all-Filipino lineup. If we’re complete then it’s a pretty formidable roster. So having a Rondae augments us and makes us stronger obviously, but even if he’s not there the payers are mature enough and veteren enough to, no. 1, the most important thing is not to lose heart, wag sila mawalan ng pag asa. It starts from there,” he said.
“Pag nawalan ng pag-asa, (sasabihin) ’Ay wala na si Rondae, oops nawala si Jayson (talo na tayo),’ eh wala na. For us it’s just continuing to do what we do regardless of who’s on the court.”
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Coach Chot added: “That’s a team. Ganun naman ang team. You can have one or two men down, that’s going to test how good the team is. Not the individual players, but the team.”
Erram, Reyes, and the rest of the Tropang Giga, now without injured Jayson Castro, brace for a tougher challenge from the Elasto Painters come Game 3 on Sunday, March 2.
The match starts at 5:00 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.