Jimboy Estrada picked the best day to once again display heroics for Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
The spitfire guard nailed a pair of clutch jumpers on Sunday, which came at the expense of no less than their longtime rival San Beda University and with assistant coach and Letran legend Rey Nambatac back on the sidelines for the Knights.
Nambatac was left impressed by how Estrada carried himself and the squad in a pressure-packed game, even calling the rookie star a 'complete package'.
"Para sa akin hindi na siya rookie eh. Ang tawag ko sa kanya super rookie na eh. Magaling si Jimboy na bata. Parang one-of-a-kind player," Nambatac said after Estrada starred in their nerve-wracking 75-71 win against the Red Lions.
"Nu'ng pumasok siya sa amin talagang complete package na. Defense, offense andiyan na, especially magaling na siya sa mga decision-making niya."
[For me, he isn't just a rookie. I call him a super rookie. Jimboy is really hood, he's like a one-of-kind player... When he came in here, he was already a complete package. Defense, offense, it's all there, and he's especially good at decision-making.]
Nambatac was a solid guard himself, leading the backcourt and playmaking for the Knights from his rookie year in 2013 to his lone NCAA championship in 2015 until his final year in 2017.
He brought his brilliance to the professional ranks, now suiting up for the TNT Tropang Giga that recently reigned supreme in the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup after beating Barangay Ginebra in six games.
Seven years after Nambatac had departed Letran, another guard is on the rise for the Muralla crew.
Estrada, a transferee from St. Clare College-Caloocan in the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NAASCU), is proving he's the next big thing for the Knights, posting a team-high 17.19 points together with 7.69 rebounds, 5.94 assists, 0.94 blocks, and 0.75 steals.
The 22-year-old Estrada is now one of the reasons why Letran has been able to rebuild from their dismal finish last season.
But while Nambatac thinks Estrada is now possessing the needed attributes of a baller, the TNT guard said he wants to help the latter work on his decision-making skills as they go make a final push to make the Final Four.
"Actually wala na masyado. Ang gusto ko lang mangyari is ma-polish niya ‘yung decision making. Pag sinabi mong Letran talagang Jimboy 'yung sasabihin ng mga tao eh," Nambatac added.
"All eyes on him and then parang eighty percent sa kanya 'yung game. Kailangan niya maging wise pagdating sa court. Wise sa court. Overall okay na siya."
[Actually, not much. What I just want for him is to polish his decision-making. When you say Letran, people are going to say Jimboy. All eyes on him and maybe eighty percent of the game is his. But he needs to be wise on the court. Overall, he's already okay.]
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
