After hitting rock bottom the previous conference, Rey Nambatac is determined to bounce back and play a prominent role for TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
‘To be honest, my last conference was a wake-up call and an eye-opener for me,’ Nambatac said. ‘I’ve been playing in the PBA for 8 years and that was my worst performance conference so far.’
Nambatac responded in a big way on Sunday, scoring 23 points in the Tropang 5G’s 106-103 win over the Macau Giant Pandas at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The southpaw hit 8-of-15 from the field on top of three rebounds and six assists to fill in for the absence of key players who will be sidelined for the first few games of the season-ending conference.
It’s a start that Nambatac is hoping to sustain after failing to meet his expectations during the Commissioner’s Cup when TNT lost to Barangay Ginebra for the championship.
During that conference, Nambatac averaged 5.5 points and became a subject of trade talks, including one that will send him to Titan Ultra for two-way forward Joshua Munzon.
It was perhaps the lowest point of Nambatac’s time with TNT that began with two championships and a Finals MVP in the 2025 edition of the Commissioner’s Cup.
‘I can’t be like that,’ he said. ‘I need to step up and return to my usual game. It’s a good thing that I got a good start and hopefully this will continue.
‘The key for myself in this conference is to be more consistent,’ added Nambatac.
TNT prevailed to begin a conference that will see the perennial contenders play the early part minus the likes of Calvin Oftana, Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams.