AMID the din of their title celebration, TNT ace playmaker Rey Nambatac held the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals MVP plaque like the hand of his lover.
But the 5-foot-11 Nambatac’s relationship with his long-time girlfriend has ended at the start of the year.
That’s just fine—the former Letran star made good use of that closed chapter on the way to leading the Tropang Giga to a second straight crown.
“Ito na iyong bagong love life ko, coach,” Nambatac said in jest in response to TNT coach Chot Reyes saying he did not want to let go of his shiny accolade last Friday night in the Tropang Giga’s epic 87-83 overtime win over the Ginebra Kings in Game 7 of the Big Dance. “Sobrang blessed kasi I’ve been in my career talagang ups and downs talaga.
“Hindi biro iyong pinagdaanan ko even itong conference na ito when kuya Jayson was injured,” he added.
Stepping up big in lieu of veteran floor general Jayson Castro who was sidelined due to a knee injury, Nambatac averaged 17.85 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists punctuated by a playoff career-high 23 points in Game 3 and 22 markers in the title-clinching triumph.
The Cagayan de Oro City-born lefty said he simply embraced the pressure of filling in the shoes of Castro.
“I knew na talagang the pressure is on me talaga. Grabe iyong pinagdaanan ko noon, hindi ko alam kung paano ko mapagdaanan iyong ganoong pressure,” Nambatac said.
“But then again sinubukan kong i-embrace iyong challenge na iyon and ito ang naging outcome.”
Winning his first finals MVP plum after eight years since he was tabbed No. 7 by Rain or Shine in the 2017 Draft was icing on the cake.
“I did not expect naman na mag-finals MVP ako kasi ang mindset ko talaga isa lang—makapag back-to-back champion ako,” Nambatac said.
“Tagal ko na sa PBA, eight years na ako and sayang kaya grinab ko na iyong opportunity na ito. Ito na iyong best way ko, best chance ko na makasungkit uli ng kampeonato sa PBA.”
Nambatac, 31, dedicated the ward to no less than Castro, whom he described as his “mentor.”
“Siya naman talaga iyong naging mentor ko. Iyon iyong naging extra motivation sa akin mga advice niya noong pumunta siya sa practice namin,” he said. “Doon talaga nagsimula, nagspark iyong confidence ko.
“Na-appreciate ko siya even na hirap siya makapaglakad pa, iyong time and effort niya na pumunta doon sobrang laking bagay para sa akin at sa mga teammates ko.”
While Castro still has plenty of gas left in his tank, the latest finals showed Nambatac is ready to be TNT’s star of the future—or even now.
