RIGHT in his first season and first conference with TNT, Rey Nambatac gets the perfect chance to win a first ever PBA championship.
The 30-year-old Nambatac will experience playing in the finals for the first time in his seven-year career as the Tropang Giga faces Barangay Ginebra Kings in the best-of-seven title series that formally kicks off on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The TNT guard is quite surprised that in the short time he's been with the franchise, here he is now trying to seek his very first title in Asia's first ever play-for-pay league.
"Ang bilis ano. Parang kalian lang," said Nambatac, looking back at how he just joined the Tropang Giga just before the start of Season 49 following a trade with Blackwater that also involved two future draft picks.
But he said what made the transition look seamless was the way the team welcomed him coming on board, from top management, coaches, players and team staff.
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"Sila talaga yung isa sa naging factor bakit mabilis akong nag-blend dito sa team, mabilis akong nakapag-adjust," said the player out of Letran.
"Naalala ko nung unang dating ko sa team, first practice ko parang sa akin sila nakatutok, e. Ginawa nilang lahat para ok, kailangan mong makapag-adjust agad."
It didn't take long for Nambatac to fit into the system of the Tropang Giga.
"Para sa akin, nag fit talaga ako sa role ko sa team. So ini-embrace ko lang yun, and hinayaan ko lang yung game ko ang mag-justify kung saan ako ngayon or kung magpi-fit ba ako sa team," he said.
For the conference, Nambatac was a starter in 17 of the 19 games played by TNT and emerged as the best three point shooter of the team with a 44 percent shooting accuracy (31-of-70).
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He averaged 12.6 points - third best among the TNT locals - 5.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
In the five-game semis series the defending champion won over Nambatac's former team Rain or Shine, he was also the best shooter of TNT from beyond the arc by going 9-of-20 (45 percent), and normed a team best among locals of 14.2 points - tied with Calvin Oftana - 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.
Nambatac hopes to maintain the hot streak and carry it all the way to the finals.
He also pointed out that majority of the Tropang Giga had already won numerous league championships in the past, and only a few of them have yet to land one, making it an added motivation for his part to play at a highest level come his first ever finals stint.
"Yun yung motivation ko, inspiration ko," he said. "Sana. Kung pagkalooban, ito na yun." (RG)
