Jayson Castro never had any doubt about Rey Nambatac, so he was beaming with pride after the latter played a major role in TNT’s ascension to the top of PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup on Friday night.
The lefty playmaker went on to win his maiden Finals MVP award, and receiving the honor given out by the PBA Press Corps further proved the flagship MVP franchise right in acquiring his services some eight months ago.
“Sobra ‘yung trust namin kay Rey,” Castro said in the midst of the Tropang Giga’s celebration following their 87-83 Game 7 win at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Nambatac was sent to TNT via trade back in July of last year, as he was shipped by Blackwater in exchange for Kib Montalbo, veteran big man Jewel Ponferrada, and a Season 53 second-round pick.
The former Letran star only needed little time to adjust and soon became a key cog of Coach Chot Reyes’ rotation, eventually helping the franchise to a successful title defense bid in the Season 49 Governors’ Cup.
But he was compelled to take on a bigger role when Castro suffered a season-ending knee injury during their semifinal series against Rain or Shine, leaving Nambatac nearly succumbing to the extreme pressure of stepping in for ‘The Blur.’
He was vocal about how challenging it’d been for him that he actually lost sleep, but their ‘Kuya Jayson’ — as well as the rest of TNT — was there to make sure that he remains on an even keel and refuses to get bogged down.
“Sabi namin na maging Rey Nambatac lang siya kasi alam naman namin kung ano yung kaya niyang ibigay sa team,” the 38-year-old recalled.
Nambatac took all that to heart, and fast forward to Friday night, he earned his first individual award handed by the men and women covering the PBA beat.
The Cagayan de Oro-native got the nod by averaging 17.85 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, including a 22-point showing in Game 7 itself.
For Castro, such a performance has definitely solidified the 31-year-old’s status as the starting point guard of the traditional contenders, who have sparked conversations of a Grand Slam as they’ve now won two titles this season.
“One of the reasons bakit talaga namin kinuha is siya yung maging starter. Siya na talaga,” he said.
“Kasi kitang-kita niyo naman ‘yung performance niya.”
But of course, Nambatac, never one who grabs the spotlight onto himself, returned his admiration to the decorated floor general.
“It was all about Kuya Jayson, kasi siya talaga naging mentor ko,” he said. “Naging extra motivation sa akin yung mga advice niya sa akin nung pumunta siya nung last practice namin. Dun talaga nagsimula.
“Dun nag-spark ‘yung confidence ko lalo. Kasi na-appreciate ko siya, dahil nga even na hirap siya maglakad pa, pero yung effort niya, yung time niya, sobrang laking bagay sa akin and sa mga teammates ko.”
#WATCH: SIYA NA TALAGA! 👏
Jayson Castro praises Rey Nambatac for filling his shoes and stepping up in the #PBA2025 Commissioner’s Cup Finals 🏀
📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/nNm8IDgikX
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 28, 2025
