ROGER Pogoy has started practicing with TNT Tropang Giga, opening the possibility that he’ll be able to rejoin Gilas Pilipinas when it embarks on the second half of its overseas training camp for the coming FIBA World Cup.
The two-way guard was already given the go-signal by doctors to start shooting practice three weeks ago and is now allowed to do weight training.
“Nag-start na ako ng shooting and dribbling, pati weights,” said Pogoy.
READ: Mission accomplished for Gilas in Euro tour
Recently signed by TNT to a fresh three-year contract, the 31-year-old Cebuano guard had to deal with a fractured finger he suffered during the last PBA Governors' Cup Finals against Barangay Ginebra.
He underwent procedure on the injured hand and was still rehabilitating when Gilas Pilipinas left for Europe to play six tune-up games against Estonia, Finland, and teams from Lithuania.
The national team returned to the country on Monday.
Pogoy said he will join Gilas when it resumes its practice on Thursday, though he’s still unsure if he’ll be able to travel with the team to China in the first week of August to play a pocket tournament with World Cup-bound national teams.
“Hindi ko pa alam (regarding China trip), pero pupunta ako ng practices,” added Pogoy.
The Far Eastern University alum possibly rejoining Gilas augurs well for a World Cup-bound team hounded by injuries to member of the training pool, namely Scottie Thompson, Dwight Ramos, and AJ Edu.
In its last game against the Lithuanian team bound for the World Universiade, coach Chot Reyes only had 10 players, including naturalized Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame.
In the August 2-6 pocket tournament in China, Gilas will be playing Iran, Lebanon, and Senegal.
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