Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Coming to the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup, Rey Nambatac was one of those rookies whom pundits believe that didn’t need much adjustments given his familiarity with coach Caloy Garcia’s system.
What the seventh overall pick didn’t expect, however, was how easy he would mesh with his Rain or Shine teammates.
“It was a very good game for me as a rookie. I had a good exposure in my debut game, especially we faced a top team in TNT,” he said in Filipino.
Nambatac deserves major credit for his seamless transition but he shared he had a little boost coming from a decorated veteran in his squad as he prepared for his first game.
“Kuya James (Yap) always talks to me. From practice to the games, he’s guiding me on how to play in the PBA,” he said of his veteran teammate as he gets a rare chance to be mentored by the former two-time PBA MVP.
“He was once in my position where he was a rookie, and he told me his experience that he didn’t want me to go through. He told me he was excited and nervous at the same time because everyone’s expecting a lot, but he told me to calm myself so I can play my game. And when the game started, I thought he was right. I only need to do what I used to do in college and not get pressured.”
Nambatac gave quality minutes in his PBA debut, racking up five points and five rebounds in 12 minutes of action.
More importantly, he held his own against famed KaTropa playmaker Jayson Castro as the former Letran stalwart immediately got himself thrown into the fire.
“He’s one of the best point guards in Asia for a reason,” said Nambatac, who admitted he was starstruck as he matched up with Castro.
“But as a defender, I need to give my best. It doesn’t mean that he’s my idol that I’ll let him have his way. I also want to win and I want to learn by defending him,” he said.
Nambatac, though, knows that there’s still a lot for him to learn and improve on as he seeks to have a better showing in the coming games.
“I still have a long way to go. I still need to be mentally tough on the court because this is already the pros. You need to outsmart your opponents here because they themselves are smart. So I still need to learn that,” he said.