PBA: Rey Nambatac thanks mentor Jayson Castro after bagging Finals MVP plum

One simply cannot imagine TNT without Jayson Castro.

Once dubbed as the best point guard in Asia, Castro has been a pillar of the Tropang Giga's winning tradition in the PBA.

In TNT's chase of its 11th overall title, however, they had to do things without Castro as he sustained a knee injury during their semis series against Rain or Shine. Castro missed TNT's finals run with a ruptured patellar tendon and will need to recover for around six months.

But with Castro out, TNT tapped Rey Nambatac to step up in the veteran guard's place.

"I knew it na talagang the pressure is on me. Grabe ang pinagdaanan ko noon, 'di ko alam paano ko ma-overcome 'yung ganong pressure," Nambatac said.

"But then again, nung sinubukan ko i-embrace 'yung challenge na 'yun, pressure na 'yun, ito ang naging outcome."

[I really knew that the pressure is on me. I had to go through a lot, I didn't know how to overcome that kind of pressure... But then again, when I tried to embrace that challenge, that pressure, this is the outcome.]

Nambatac emerged as Finals MVP as he logged 17.86 points, 3.14 rebounds, and 3.43 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in the series. He also had a playoff career-high of 23 points in Game 6, which he followed with 22 points in the do-or-die Game 7.

Nambatac only wanted a back-to-back title run as he took an opportunity in front of him.

Not only did he achieve that, but he also became one of TNT's brightest individual stars in the series.

"'Di ko in-expect na mag-Finals MVP ako kasi ang focus ko talaga, ang mindset ko, isa lang: mag-back-to-back champion ako. Kasi ang tagal ko na sa PBA, eight years na ako, sabi ko sayang ang opportunity, i-grab ko na ito, ito na ang best chance ko para makasungkit ulit ng kampeonato sa PBA," Nambatac said.

[I didn't expect to become Finals MVP because my focus, my mindset, was on one thing: to become back-to-back champion. Because I've been in the PBA for a while now, eight years, and I didn't want to waste the opportunity, I'll grab this, because this is my best chance to win another championship in the PBA.]

Nambatac, however, would always remember to thank Castro as the TNT veteran motivated him in the series.

"Kinongrats niya 'ko, sabi nya sakin, deserve ko raw 'to, way to step up daw sa absence niya," Nambatac said.

"Sabi ko naman sa kanya na, and even sa interview, it was all about Kuya Jayson. Siya talaga naging mentor ko, naging extra motivation sa'kin 'yung advice niya sa akin nung pumunta siya sa practice namin. Doon nag-spark 'yung confidence ko lalo kasi na-appreciate ko siya dahil even if hirap siya makapaglakad pa pero 'yung effort niya, 'yung time niya para pumunta doon, sobrang laking bagay sa akin at sa teammates ko."

[He congratulated me, he said I deserved this, and way to step up in his absence... I said to him, and even in the interview, it was all about Kuya Jayson. He really became my mentor, his advice served as extra motivation for me when he attended practice. That's what sparked my confidence, I really appreciated that he came even if it was hard for him to walk. But his effort, the time he took to go there, that was such a big deal for me and my teammates.]

Castro himself praised Nambatac's performance and said the team trusted the latter to step up.

"Kita n'yo naman performance niya. Sabi namin, maging Rey Nambatac lang siya kasi alam naman namin kaya niya ibigay sa team," Castro said.

[You saw in his performance, we said, just be Rey Nambatac because we know what he can give to the team.]

—JMB, GMA Integrated News