PBA veterans Harvey Carey and Ryan Reyes were core members of the Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters that wreaked havoc all over the league in the 2010s.
The Chot Reyes-mentored squad bathed in success. The two teamed up with the likes of Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams, Larry Fonacier, and Ranidel De Ocampo to form a dynasty that produced four championships in a span of three years.
The powerhouse squad almost hoisted a rare grand slam twice, but was denied by Petron in the 2011 Governor’s Cup title match. The elusive feat presented itself once again in 2012 after they became the first team since 1985 to repeat as Philippine Cup champions, but they fell to the Denzel Bowles-led B-Meg in the second conference.
Though they were able to win one more title in 2015, the super team later on disbanded. Alapag retired in the same year, while Fonacier and De Ocampo were traded in the following seasons.
Carey and Reyes were the remnants of that dynasty, along with Williams and Castro.
Now in the twilight of their respective careers, the two are extending their utmost gratitude to the man behind all of their success in the past years — TNT owner Manny V. Pangilinan.
“I owe a lot to Boss MVP. He took a chance on me coming over unknown. He changed the trajectory of my life, drafting me. I’ve been here forever,” said Carey in Tiebreaker Vodcasts’ CPT Crossover, presented by SMART last Tuesday.
“It’s a winning culture in TNT. The motivation he gives each and everyone of us on our team makes us play the best we can to step up. Like Harvey said, we’re grateful for MVP, and I thank him for everything, throughout these years I’ve been on the team. It is 11 years,” added Reyes in the podcast hosted by Cedelf Tupas, who had ex-Ateneo courtside reporter Frannie Reyes as his guest host.
Carey, who played college ball for Sonoma State in the United States, entered the 2003 PBA Draft as a virtual unknown and was selected by Pangilinan’s Phone Pals with the fourth overall pick.
Meanwhile, Reyes came aboard TNT via a blockbuster three-team, nine-player trade that shook up the PBA landscape.
The 6-foot-3 Carey was a steady presence inside the paint for TNT. On the other hand, Reyes — who was hobbled by injuries for the most time in his career — was a force in both the defensive and offensive side of the floor.
Since then, the two have become immovable pieces in the franchise thanks to their massive contributions on and off the hardcourt.
“I’m so in debt to boss, and every time I put on that jersey, even off the court, I try to represent the company as well as I can. That’s the least I can do,” said Carey.
“With everything he does a lot for us and his teams, like Harvey said, nothing else we can do. We just throw it all on the court and just play well, play hard for him,” added Reyes.
Carey and Reyes cannot thank MVP enough for all the blessings and opportunities he gave them. And so for them, there is no other way to honor Pangilinan than to put that TNT jersey on and play as hard as they can for their beloved boss.
