Tropang 5G likely another good man down for Game 3
From one hobbling TNT Tropang 5G star to another, Calvin Oftana is hoping Poy Erram all the best.
The Tropang 5G saw a scary sight—just another one out of a handful for them in their PBA Grand Slam chase—in Game 2 of the Philippine Cup Finals when Erram was practically carried off the floor.
Oftana, who’s been fighting through nagging ankle pain since the semifinals, explained that Erram’s state after the series got tied at 1-1 with a 98-92 San Miguel Beer victory on Wednesday night was a point of concern.
“It is [a concern], but I think we have the personnel to fill up his shoes but it can’t just be one,” Oftana told the Inquirer on the way out of Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“It has to be all of us. We have some guys to fill Poy’s spot, but hopefully he gets (well) right before Game 3,” added Oftana, referring to some of the team’s big men, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser most of all, as the ones capable of stepping up going into what could be the most crucial game of the title series.
At the 2:45 mark of the third quarter, Erram was helped to the locker room by team officials because of a right leg injury and never returned to the game. The TNT center finished with six points, three blocks, three assists and two rebounds in just 15 minutes of action.
Erram later needed a wheelchair to exit the Big Dome.
Roger Pogoy, Kelly Williams and Oftana have all been injured in the semifinals before that Erram incident compounded matters. For the tournament, which the Tropang 5G need to win to complete just the league’s sixth Triple Crown sweep, TNT had been without Jayson Castro and Rey Nambatac.
Oftana can only imagine how Erram was feeling after he hurt his leg in one of the more important games of the best-of-seven affair.
“I endure the pain because I need to,” Oftana said. “Poy’s is different, It looks worse because it looked like he didn’t step on anyone, it was all just him.”
Erram’s situation on Friday will be keenly monitored by TNT, and in whatever case, the Tropang 5G need all hands on deck in their bid to take a 2-1 lead.
