Passing the torch: Castro amazed as Finals MVP Nambatac steps up for TNT

That was how it felt as Rey Nambatac stepped up in the absence of Jayson Castro and earned the Finals MVP honors as he played a pivotal role in helping the Tropang Giga capture their PBA Commissioner’s Cup championship.

Even Castro believed Nambatac’s time was now.

“Of course,” Castro said in Filipino when asked if he thought Nambatac would follow in his footsteps.

“He played really good. Wow. His performance was on a different level,” Castro added. “He really deserves the award because you all saw that he took over from when I was gone.”

There were concerns about whether TNT, which ruled the Governors’ Cup earlier this season, could win a second straight title after Castro — the Tropang Giga’s heart and soul — suffered a knee injury in the semifinals against Rain or Shine.

Castro, after all, was the Finals MVP in TNT’s previous championship.

But Nambatac proved he was up to the task, averaging 17.8 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in the best-of-seven title series that went the distance.

Nambatac delivered 22 points, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 rebounds in the title-clinching Game 7, with three of the four games the Tropang Giga won in the finals featuring him scoring at least 20 points.

“When Kuya Jayson was injured, I knew the pressure was on me,” said Nambatac. “I had no idea how to overcome that kind of pressure.”

“But then again, when I tried to embrace that challenge, that pressure, this became the outcome. I did not expect to be a Finals MVP because my focus was on one thing: to become a back-to-back champion.”

Nambatac said he drew inspiration from Castro, who still found time to attend TNT’s practices and provide his insights despite still recovering from his injury.

“It was all about Kuya Jayson, because he really became my mentor. His advice to me when he came to our last practice became extra motivation for me,” he said. – Rappler.com