MANILA, Philippines — TNT import Bol Bol finally spoke in a postgame interview following the Tropang 5G’s masterful 118-92 destruction of long-time rival San Miguel Beer in their PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup match on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 7-foot-3 Bol put up dominant numbers once again as he finished with 34 points, hauled down 18 rebounds and a block for TNT, which improved to 2-1.
“I think I’m just getting used to the physicality and getting my teammates involved. I think that’s what has gotten us the last two wins,” said the son of the late NBA big man Manute Bol, during a postgame television interview with courtside reporter Apple David.
Bol and TNT fell to Rain or Shine, 112-109 in a shock loss last week, blowing a double-digit advantage while allowing an all-Filipino Elasto Painters crew to mount that successful comeback.
ROS’ stocky import Jaylen Johnson was ejected, along TNT forward Glen Khobuntin for engaging in a fistfight midway in the fourth quarter.
But come the next game, TNT rode on Bol’s 40-point, 15-rebound effort to subdue NLEX, 103-97.
“I think we’re good [to]night. It was hard the first game, but after these last three games, I’m getting used to it. And they’re getting used to playing with me now, too,” Bol said, who engaged SMB guard Chris Ross in some trash talk during the game.
Later, in the post-game media conference with TNT’s winning coach Chot Reyes, Bol shared he’s not all too concerned about his individual game.
“I’m not worried about my individual game as long as we keep stacking wins coz that’s what’s most important,” stressed the South Sudanese-American big man who played for the Denver Nuggets, the Orlando Magic and the Phoenix Suns in six NBA seasons.
Meanwhile, in facing nine-time PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, Bol credited his teammates for clogging the lane, which limited the SMB superstar to just 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting.
“I just really give props to my teammates (because) when he has the ball, (they keep) crowding him and make it hard for him,” he said.
Bol made himself available to the press and even for postgame interview following a PBA Commissioner’s Office memo issued to the TNT management, reminding them of the import’s responsibility to media and PBA fans.
On his way to the team dugout, Bol would be mobbed by PBA fans.