SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – Poy Erram doesn’t see his first ever stint in the PBA Finals as a battle between him and Japeth Aguilar.
The title series, he stressed, remains a clash between Barangay Ginebra and TnT Tropang Giga, two teams picked by many to battle for the Philippine Cup title even before the bubble season got going.
“Kami as a team, we don’t look at it as an individual match-up. We play as a team. Hindi lang naman si Japeth ang dapat bantayan,” said the 6-foot-8 Erram.
“Nagpe-prepare kami sa kanila as a team, hindi para sa individual match-up.”
Erram and Aguilar had been teammates with Gilas Pilipinas before and ironically, were both products of Ateneo.

But Erram, 31, has been specifically brought in by TnT for this moment when the team needs an answer to rival ballclubs’ bigs as Aguilar for Ginebra, Raymond Almazan for Meralco, Justine Chu for Phoenix, Ian Sangalang for Magnolia, or Mo Tautuaa for San Miguel.
While Erram said he’s ready for such task, he’d rather focus on the overall scenario.
“Individually, lahat kami nagtutulungan para makarating rito. Kasi yung score ng isang player, score naman naming lahat,” he stressed.
Of the Tropang Giga’s Gilas-like starting unit, only he and sophomore Ray Parks are seeing action in their first ever finals series.

While that is a big motivation for him personally, Erram added the Tropang Giga also have their own drive collectively.
“Seven years na ring hindi nagcha-champion yung TnT sa All-Filipino so I think that’s enough motivation na maglaro itong finals na ito,” said the Tropang Giga big man.
For the record, Barangay Ginebra beat TnT in their lone encounter in the bubble, 85-79, during the elimination.
Game One of the best-of-seven title series is on Sunday at the Angeles University Foundation gym.
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