Castro’s KaTropa keep lowly Mahindra company

Jayson Castro. TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.net

AS IF to justify the interest of a top China Basketball League club in tapping him as an import for a tournament starting this November, Jason Castro has masterfully boosted the TNT KaTropa to a share of the  early lead of the PBA Governors’ Cup.

The cat-quick 6-foot point guard from Pampanga, a member of the Mythical Five of the last two Fiba Asia tournaments, was simply unstoppable despite topnotch opposition from reigning Commissioner’s Cup champion Rain or Shine, Meralco and Alaska. He presided over a closing 11-point run to finish with 19 as the KaTropa nipped the Elasto Painters, 101-98, and then came up with a game-high 24 in a 98-95 decision of the Bolts. He was even more impressive with 26 points and 10 assists as TNT turned back the Aces, 120-118.

Castro, whose contract with TNT ends this Aug. 31, is reportedly being wooed to play in a tournament that will end in February next year with a monthly pay between $250,000 and $300,000 excluding won-games, bonuses and other perks. The information came from a reliable source, according to Inquirer PBA expert Musong R. Castillo in a recent article.

With a reported maximum PBA monthly pay of P420,000 outside of bonuses, the Gilas Pilipinas mainstay however wants to seek permission first from PLDT management. Imports in the CBA reportedly receive huge salaries with Andray Blatche, the Gilas Pilipinas’ naturalized Filipino reinforcement, getting about $2.5 million when he played in the league last year.

Newcomer Mahindra, now handled by the unheralded Chris Gavina with playing-coach and world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao on leave after his recent election to the Philippine Senate, keeps TNT  unlikely  company at the top. The Enforcers opened with a 100-92 upset of Star followed by a 108-98 win over GlobalPort before stunning defending champion San Miguel, 105-102.

Credit for Mahindra’s best ever start go to import James White, the tallest (6-foot-8) and youngest (23 years) among the reinforcements and a hard-working local crew led by KG Canaleta and Aldrech Ramos.

But Castro and his KaTropa remain simply impressive considering they have yet to be joined by three regulars from sick bay—Gilas Pilipinas revelation Troy Rosario, defensive specialist Matt Rosser and former MVP Kelly Williams.

And TNT coach Jong Uichico said they had some luck against the Aces, with the pesky Calvin Abueva missing the game to serve a suspension slapped by commissioner Chito Narvasa.

Abueva planted an elbow on the face of Barangay Ginebra’s Chris Ellis without provocation with both men on the floor during a tight contest last week.

“He (Abueva) would have been another problem we needed to solve,” Uichico had said.

Abueva, who barely missed joining the Gilas team that played in the recent Fiba Olympic qualifying at Mall of Asia Arena, was still lucky he escaped being thrown out with all three referees mysteriously missing his dastardly act on Ellis that a TV slow-mo replay graphically showed. Abueva not only finished the game but helped the Aces win  in overtime, 109-100.

It’s still a long way off before the league shifts to high gear with the top eight teams after the single round robin elimination colliding in the semifinals. Let’s hope there will be more surprises of the Castro and Mahindra variety on the floor than the unsportsmanlike behavior of stars like Abueva.