AFTER dealing with an ACL injury, TNT Tropang 5G big man Poy Erram admits he's still struggling to regain his old form when called up to join the Gilas Pilpinas men’s basketball team at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
But who is there to push Poy to strive harder? Bangkok-based Ginebra fans, that's who.
Erram, a late addition to the Gilas team of coach Norman Black following an injury to NCAA slotman Allen Liwag, admitted to being pleasantly surprised hearing not only jeers but also encouragements from PBA fans here.
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“Oo, ang dami ko nadidinig na bina-bash ako, ang dami rin na sumusuporta. Nakakatuwa nga,” said Erram in a chat with SPIN.ph shortly after the national team's 78-67 win over Vietnam.
“Sobrang saya, sa post nga ng asawa ko (sa Facebook), may nakalagay dun: ‘Kahit na ka-barangay kami sa 'yong lahat,” he said.
Erram has been considered ‘Public Enemy No. 1 of Ginebra fans” as he usually taunts them as well as rival players whenever TNT beats the crowd favorites, especially during a championship series.
A photo of the 6-8 cager even went viral when he acted as if he was crying in front of a TNT trophy - shortly after their win against the Kings in the 2024-2025 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The pose was in response to Ginebra fans calling him ‘iyakin’ or cry baby.
Here in Bangkok, Erram bared that he shouldn’t be treated as an anti-Ginebra as he is now representing the national tricolors of the country.
“Suot naming ito eh,” he said while moving his right hand across the Pilipinas name in his Gilas-Adidas jersey. “Hindi ako TNT dito, hindi ako kalaban. Pilipino kami. At nakikita naman yun ng mga fans. Nakakatuwa.”
With hundreds of Filipinos present without fail during Gilas games, Erram can't deny that most of these fans in the Bangkok stands are Ginebra diehards.
“Sureball 'yun. Alam naman natin basta Pilipino na nagba-basketball at nanunuod ng basketball, seventy percent, Ginebra fans 'yan. Actually ang dami ko nga nadidinig sa bleacher na sumusigaw ng, 'Ginebra, Ginebra,'” said the former Ateneo de Cagayan star.
“Basta ako importante dito, sinusuportahan nila ang team, sinusuportahan nila kami. Kasi lumalaban kami para sa bansa natin lalo ngayon ang bigat na ng laban dito sa SEA Games,” he said.
Asked how he feels getting support from Filipino fans - mostly Ginebra supporters, Erram had a quick answer.
“We Filipinos, we always come together, kahit ako galing sa ibang team na may responsibilities kami pag nasa PBA kami, pero ito for the country. We come together, so ganun rin ang fans. Wala nang Ginebra, wala nang TNT fans.
"Gilas fans na lahat,” he said.
And for his message to all Ginebra fans who can’t get over his antics in the PBA, Erram has this to say.
“'Wag na kayo magalit. Kasi Ginebra fan din ako nung bata pa ako sa probinsya, idol ko sina (Jayjay) Helterbrand at sina (Mark) Caguioa," said the Gilas big man with a smile "So, thank you, nasa likod namin kayo.”
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