RR Pogoy
MANILA – Shooting guard RR Pogoy will miss Gilas Pilipinas' campaign in next month's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia due to an injured right pinkie finger.
Pogoy injured his hand while trying to steal the ball from fellow Gilas pool member Christian Standhardinger in Game 3 of the PBA Governors' Cup Finals between TNT Tropang Giga and Barnagay Ginebra on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
"Yung SEA Games, wala na. 'Di ako aabot sa SEA Games (About the SEA Games, I'm out. I won't make it to the SEA Games)," said Pogoy, who appeared in Game 4 on Sunday night also at The Big Dome.
He still got to finish Game 3 despite the Tropang Giga loss, but according to him, it was forced.
"Pinilit ko talaga. Kahit noong third quarter, sabi ko, 'Game! Pasok pa rin ako.' Kahit sobrang sakit, pinilit ko. Pero every hawak ko ng bola, kung sa 1-10, 10 na talaga yung sakit. 'Yun pala, bali na pala 'yung pinkie ng right hand ko. Tinapos ko pa rin yung game, pero after nung laro, doon ko na nararamdaman talaga na konting galaw, sobrang sakit na (I really forced it. Even during the third quarter, I told myself, 'Game! I will still play.' Even if it hurts already, I still forced myself to play. But every time I touch the ball, if you are to rate the pain from 1-10, it's already a 10. As it turned out, I already fractured my right pinkie finger. I still finished the game, but afterward, I already felt the pain even with only a slight move)," Pogoy said. "Disgrasya talaga nung pag-sundot ko kay Christian (It really was an accident when I tried to strip the ball from Christian)."
While TNT beat Ginebra in Game 4 in front of 16,203 fans, Pogoy rued that he had to sit out of the game.
"Gustong-gusto ko sanang maglaro. Kita ko pa lang nung crowd, ang sarap sanang maglaro (I really wanted to play. After I saw the crowd last night, I would have loved to play)," said Pogoy, who will also sit out the rest of the series.
The six-foot-two gunner then confirmed that he will undergo surgery to repair the broken finger.
He was to see a hand specialist on Monday to determine whether he has to travel overseas for the surgery or not.
Pogoy did not specify how long he will rest his hand, but according to Tropang Giga head coach Jojo Lastimosa and forward Calvin Oftana, who once had a broken finger too, the recovery period usually lasts from 2-3 months.
That means Pogoy could only get to practice again by July or August.
Pogoy's injury is the latest in Gilas' ongoing challenges in its buildup for the SEA Games.
Last week, the national team called off its practice after only seven players confirmed their attendance, a far cry from the 17 who were there the prior week.
A bulk of the Gilas pool for the SEA Games consists of ballers playing in the PBA Governors' Cup, which could only end either by April 21 or 23. (PNA)
