A TRIP to a local market will most likely not bring you to basketball stardom, but for RR Pogoy, it did.
Well, sort of.
The TNT cager bared the circumstances that jumpstarted his basketball career in Manila, which started when his father went to the market and saw a newspaper article about a tryout by the Far Eastern University men’s basketball team in Cebu.
Unknown to his father, Pogoy already knew about the tryout through his teammates at University of Cebu high school team, but was having second thoughts. But when his dad read about it in the newspaper, Pogoy’s father insisted that he should come.
“UC talaga ako noon nung high school. Graduating na ako. Nagpa-tryout ‘yung FEU sa Cebu tapos ‘yung mga teammates ko, nag-try out. Three days ‘yun eh. Nung second day, sinasabihan nila ako na hinahanap ako ng coach ng FEU,” said Pogoy, referring to Tamaraws coach Bert Flores.
Pogoy said he was already thinking about going to the tryout, but the newspaper article his father read only convinced him to push through.
“Sabi ko, punta kaya ako tapos nung umaga na ‘yun, namalengke tatay ko nakita niya sa newspaper na nagpa-tryout ‘yung FEU. 'I-try kaya natin ‘to, Dong.' Nagpunta ako doon tapos tinry namin ng papa ko,” Pogoy told 2OT.
When he appeared in the tryout, Flores immediately told Pogoy that he had already made the cut and was asked to head to Manila in a few days.
“Hindi nila ako pinalaro. Sabi ni coach Bert, ‘Ikaw ba si Pogoy?’ Sabi ko, 'Ako coach.' Sabi niya, 'Wag ka na maglaro, alis ka na bukas.' The next day, punta ka na sa FEU, wag ka na mag-tryout. Kinausap na niya papa ko, gustong-gusto ng papa ko kasi dream niya na mag-PBA siya kasi player din siya noon,” Pogoy said.
Pogoy was determined to make the most out of the opportunity when he played for the Tamaraws in the UAAP. But it was by no means easy as he had to prove day after day that he can excel beyond the borders of Cebu.
“Dami rin nagsasabi sa akin na sa Cebu lang daw ako magaling. Nung unang punta ko sa FEU, hindi agad ako gamit pero sa Cebu, MVP ako nung high school. Parang sabi nila, sa Cebu lang ‘yan magaling," he recalled.
"Ilang years din ako nagtiis sa FEU dahil pasundot-sundot lang ang pasok ko. Puro magagaling mga kasabayan namin. Tiis at sipag lang talaga,” said Pogoy.
“Iniisip ko lang talaga hardwork kasi first to fourth year ako, alanganin talaga ako sa PBA,” Pogoy recalled. “Sabi ko pa nga sa girlfriend ko at sa pamilya ko, tapusin ko lang pag-aaral ko eh tapos tulungan na lang ako.”
It came to a point that Pogoy admitted wanting to give up on his basketball dream in Manila. But each time he was downcast, it was his father who talked him out of wasting what he believed was an opportunity of a lifetime.
“Sumuko din ako. Tumawag ako sa coach ko sa school, [sabi ko] hanap kayo paraan para makuha uli ako dito sa FEU kasi gusto ko na umuwi. Parang pinu-push lagi ako ng papa ko na tiiis lang, Dong. Ganyan talaga ang buhay. Hindi parating derecho success eh.
"Basta tapusin mo ‘yung five years mo diyan, si Lord na bahala kung ano ang mangyayari sa 'yo. Dun ako humuhugot ng lakas. Sa parents ko kasi lagi nila akong ine-encourage na wag sumuko sa FEU,” said the Gilas Pilipinas mainstay.
All the hardwork paid off when Pogoy played a big part in the Tamaraws' run to the 2015 UAAP men's basketball championship. He was later selected by TNT KaTropa in the 2016 special draft of Gilas cadets.
Pogoy said he couldn't have done it without the help of his coaches at FEU.
“Kinausap ako ni coach Nash, sila coach Jonathan kung ano plano mo sa buhay mo, last year mo na. Nagtiyaga talaga si coach Jonathan De Guzman sa akin na ‘Sige, after practice, shooting kami parati.’ By God’s grace, tumaas talaga, maganda laro ko, nag-champion pa kami. Tuluy-tuloy na lahat.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
