Ang Cebuano Player, Palaban

“Kaming mga taga Cebu, palaban. Nakatatak na pag Cebuano, hindi magpapaapi yan. Hindi magpapatalo.” This is how Roger Pogoy replied when asked what made Cebuano players different from others and what drove him in his career that took him from Barangay Cansojong in Talisay City, Cebu to the PBA and the FIBA World Cup. He shared this when he guested in the maiden episode of “Idol Talk,” an online webcast of the MVPSF Youth Basketball League-Cebu (MYBL-Cebu).

Recalling how he started playing basketball at an early age, Pogoy narrated how his “palaban” mindset made him reach his and his parents’ bucket list of dreams that included making it to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Pogoy started when he was six years old when his father, an aspiring basketball player who didn’t make it to the big leagues taught him how to play basketball. Although he didn’t play organized basketball during his grade school days, he played at summer camps and at the local courts of Cansojong. Rudy Enterina, a coach of the University of the Visayas (UV), advised the 13-year old Pogoy to try out for the UV high school team, a journey that meant waking up at 4AM for the 5AM practice of UV’s Team B. After going through this for two years and acknowledging that his studies suffered, he decided to quit and transferred to the University of Cebu (UC) primarily to straighten up his life and study. However, basketball wasn’t totally out of the picture as he joined the UC high school team that practiced every afternoon, something that he and his parents welcomed. He then recalled how he got to play for the UC Under 16 team in the inaugural season of the Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL) in 2008, the forerunner of today’s MYBL-Cebu. “Laki ng tulong ng MYBL, CYBL sa amin dati. Lahat kasi makalaro; bigyan ng chance. Pag makalaro ka, makikita kung sino ang may potential at kaya mag improve. Na prove ko na puede ako sa Juniors sa CESAFI,” Pogoy revealed. UC won the CESAFI high school championship shortly after with Pogoy playing a key role and catching the sharp eyes of the scouts.

Pogoy then recalled trying out for Far Eastern University (FEU), National University and the Philippine Under 18 national team. This part of his basketball journey tested his “palaban” mentality anew as he recalled riding the bench of FEU for almost four years watching his idols like Terrence Romeo, RR Garcia and JR Cawaling dominate playing time. He had gotten so frustrated that he told his parents and his Cebu coach that he wanted to go home. “Gusto ko na talagang umuwi. Gusto ko nang bumalik sa Cebu,” he revealed. But the words of encouragement of his parents prevailed. “Tiisin mo lang dong. Total, gagraduate din naman sila. Hindi mo pa time ngayon. Practice ka lang ng maayos. Mag improve ka. Kung aabot ng fourth at fifth year, sa iyo na yan,” he recalled his father telling him. True enough, Pogoy, along with Mac Belo, stepped up to star for FEU when their time had come.

In a special segment of the webcast that had a lucky fan join the broadcast panel and get a chance to ask Pogoy a question, MYBL-Cebu player Ryan Christian Apura asked what Pogoy did to improve despite his being a star already. Pogoy reminded Apura to maintain an “always practice” mindset and not let what he has achieved get to his head. He added that while he was happy with what he had achieved, he wasn’t contented. He would tell himself that he wasn’t a superstar and was just a “bench player” and needed to always work hard to improve. When Apura shared that he was just a player from the province trying his best, Pogoy reminded him that he once was just like him. “Parehas ra gyud ta. Taga probinsya man sad ko. Talisay amo-a. Ayay hunahuna-a na wala moy pag-asa,” he encouraged. (I was just like you as I’m also from the province; from Talisay. Never think that you don’t have a chance.)

“Idol Talk” is an interactive webcast of the MYBL-Cebu and MVPSF Youth League - Cagayan de Oro (MYBL-CDO). The online venue is where homegrown PBA & Gilas Pilipinas idols share their journeys, struggles and successes to pave the way for the next national athletes and idols. Poy Erram will be the guest on Saturday, September 19, while Dondon Hontiveros guests on September 26. The webcast is streamed every Saturday at 4:30PM over the Facebook Pages MVPSF Youth League-Cebu and MVPSF Youth League-Cagayan de Oro.