MANILA, Philippines – Playing in his first PBA game back from his Asian Games stint, Poy Erram didn’t want to witness Blackwater return to its losing ways.

So with the game on his hands, the lanky slotman made sure he will deliver. 

Erram knocked down two clutch free throws that paved way for the Elite to stay undefeated in two games as they hacked out a 103-100 win over the San Miguel Beermen in the Governors’ Cup on Wednesday, September 5. 

With Blackwater leading by just a whisker, 101-100, Erram coolly sank his freebies with 19 seconds left to make it a three-point game. 

The Beermen had plenty of time to equalize only to see AZ Reid and Arwind Santos miss their three-point shots as the clock expired. 

Missing at least one of his charities would have altered the ending – with the San Miguel potentially attemping a higher percentage shot instead of a triple – but Erram, who finished with 10 points and 9 boards, remained poised under pressure. 

“Ayaw ko mapahiya sa team ko eh, pagbalik ko tapos ile-let down ko pa sila. Gusto ko talaga ma-shoot ‘yung dalawang free throw. Luckily pumasok naman,” he told reporters after the win.

(I don’t want to let my team down in my return. I really wanted to make the free throws. Luckily, they went in.) 

To say that Erram is tired of losing is an understatement, especially after Blackwater finished with a tragic 1-10 record in the Commissioner’s Cup.

And being squared up against one of the league’s top teams, the Elite did not need anymore motivation to come away with the triumph. 

“Sabi nga ni coach kanina, ito ‘yung panibagong chance namin. For us, sobrang maganda ‘yung panalo namin kasi pinaghirapan namin.” 

(Like coach told us, this is another chance for us. This is a great win because we worked hard for this.) 

Blackwater will go on a two-week break before it shoots for a third straight win against NorthPort on September 19 at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com