Jason Castro of Talk N Text (dark) vs SOl Mercado, Jay Washington and Rudy Lingganayof GlobalPort (light). Nuki Sabio/PBA FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – The absence of Ryan Reyes since the start of the 2014 PLDT myDSL Philippine Cup and Jimmy Alapag for the past two games was hardly felt with Jayson Castro around for Talk ‘N Text.
Castro was the most consistent contributor for defending champion TNT – leading the Tropang Texters to a 3-0 record in just six days sans guards Reyes and Alapag due to injuries.
“Coach (Norman Black) told me I need to step up every game because Ryan (Reyes) is out since the start of the conference,” said the soft-spoken Castro, whose sterling performance earned him the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of December 15-22 besting Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s athletic forward Japeth Aguilar.
The five-foot-nine Castro scored 13 points, grabbed three rebounds and had three assists and teamed up with fellow Gilas Pilipinas mainstay Ranidel de Ocampo in a 90-87 win over Rain or Shine to kickoff TNT’s grueling week.
The 27-year-old Castro then scattered 23 points, six rebounds and nine assists three days later in an 87-80 overtime victory over Barako Bull before tallying 21 points and six boards as the Texters defeated the Air21 Express Sunday. Both times, Alapag sat out with a strained groin.
But despite Talk ‘N Text’s current three-game winning run, Castro said the team could not afford to be complacent if it wants to repeat as all-Filipino champions for the fourth straight year.