ANTIPOLO — Rey Nambatac was full of regret after failing to capitalize on the opportunity to call game for TNT earlier on Wednesday night.
But the seasoned guard used that as an extra push, eventually getting sweet redemption — much, of course, to the delight of the Tropang 5G.
He knocked down the game-winning jumper off a hop step with nine-tenths of the second left to lift his side past Meralco in overtime, 100-98.
The shot completed a great comeback as they rallied all the way down from 23 points.
“Nung last shot ko, doon talaga ako nakahinga na at least nabawi ko rin ‘yung miss ko na four points,” he said after the match at the Ynares Center here.
Nambatac was referring to his attempt from four-point range with about 33 seconds remaining in regulation, which could have given them a 94-87 lead — and made it more difficult for the Bolts to come back.
“Sobrang laking hinayang ko talaga ‘yung last shot nun eh, kasi kung pumasok, ‘yun na ‘yung turning point. Tapos na talaga,” said the lefty playmaker.
Nambatac was feeling it from 27 feet away, having swished in a similar shot moments prior that put TNT ahead, 90-87, with 1:04 to go.
(C) PBA Images
He was wide open as well when he pulled off the supposed haymaker after finding a wide gap. Chris Banchero had gone too deep in helping double Roger Pogoy — a gap which the latter quickly recognized as he kicked it out.
However, the shot couldn’t hit its target, and that became an opening for Meralco as Chris Newsome hit a big triple to soon send the game into OT.
“Dinouble si Roger eh, pag-kick out niya libreng-libre talaga, late na late ‘yung rotation. And kaka-shoot lang niya ng similar [shot] before that,” recalled Tropang 5G head coach Chot Reyes of that particular sequence.
Regardless of the outcome, the champion bench tactician still lauded Nambatac’s judgment at that time, as he still took a “high-value shot.”
“That was the right decision. Sa amin ganun eh. We call it high-value shots. We make sure that we’re taking high-value shots,” said Reyes,
“And a wide-open, four-point shot out of rotation, out of ball movement, for us is a high-value shot as long as it’s a ROB shot, which is in range, open, and balanced,” he added.
“Rey was in range, he was open, he was balanced.”
After all, Nambatac was able to make up for that by winning it for TNT through a tough shot under duress, ultimately enabling the traditional contenders to win their third straight and gain a share of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup lead.
“Kaya nung nag-overtime talagang sobrang nagsisisi ako. Pero, ‘yun nga, naging motivation ko rin nung overtime,” said the 31-year-old Letranite.
