TNT veteran guard Jayson Castro. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Jayson Castro’s career has come full circle.
As TNT celebrated winning the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup title, Castro also relished the fact that he captured his latest championship in the basketball facility of his high school alma mater.
Castro started his career as a varsity player for Don Honorio Ventura State University’s high school team and he was the only member of his graduating class to move to college and ultimately into a legendary career in the PBA.
“I never imagined that I will win one of my championships at my school, this one is super special for me,” said Castro in Filipino after the Tropang Giga’s 94-79 Game 5 win over Magnolia Friday.
Castro, who played college for Philippine Christian University in college, played all his career with TNT and owns seven of the franchise’s eight titles.
The club legend, however, went six years without a title in the PBA as TNT just couldn’t overcome the dominance of San Miguel during those years.
And that lull seemed to have set up the Tropang Giga in their title run as they became the first team to beat all three teams of the San Miguel corporation—Magnolia, Barangay Ginebra, and San Miguel—en route to a championship since Red Bull in 2001.
Castro said that playing in his alma mater was added motivation for them as the PBA had to relocate to Bacolor, Pampanga due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’ll never forget this championship,” said Castro, a two-time MVP and five-time Best Player of the Conference. “Playing in my alma mater was added motivation for me.”