Rugged game is expected as Meralco, TNT break 1-1 standoff

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2019 09:53:31 +0000

BY JONAS TERRADO

Game Thursday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

7 p.m. – Meralco vs TNT KaTropa

(Series tied 1-1)

Meralco guard Baser Amer is usually a man of a few words once reporters have already pressed the record button.

But in a rare occurrence Tuesday, Amer took a more candid approach in describing how TNT KaTropa forward Roger Pogoy went too far with the physicality after two games of their PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series.

Amer claimed that Pogoy pinched him several times since Game 1 that it caused him to have bruises in his stomach and legs.

Meralco’s Allen Durham rebounds against TNT defenders in the PBA Governors’ Cup Semifinals game 2 at Smart Araneta Coliseum, December 17, 2019 (Rio Deluvio)

“Ang dami niyang kurot sa tiyan ko at sa legs ko so hopefully makita ng referee yun kasi di na basketball e,” Amer said after the Bolts tied the series at 1-1 with a 114-94 rout of the KaTropa at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

His frustration was evident in the early moments when television replays saw the Meralco guard giving Pogoy an elbow, prompting the TNT forward to fall on the floor in hopes of fishing a foul.

Pogoy later got into a heated exchange at the Meralco bench with almost three minutes into the game, resulting in a technical for both him and Bolts assistant coach Chris Tan.

“Motivated na rin kami kasi yun nga nakakabastos na kasi wala naman akong ginagawa o wala naman kaming ginagawa sa kanila pero nandun yung pambubully,” said Amer.

Amer would rather not escalate the situation, stressing instead to focus on trying to put Meralco in the driver seat for Game 3 set Thursday night at the Big Dome.

A victory will put the Bolts a win shy of advancing to their third finals appearance in the last four editions of the season-ending conference.

Amer finished with 20 points as import Allen Durham got the needed support he lacked in the 103-94 defeat last Sunday.

Durham had his numbers, posting 44 points, 19 rebounds and 11 assists in a game that saw Meralco lead by as many as 35.

“We felt in Game 1, we were too individualistic and we didn’t really execute offensively. Normally when you play good offense, everybody’s in the
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