Just scraping past
Coach Chot Reyes is hoping his shock troopers can hold the fort for TNT while some of its key players miss time in the early parts of the PBA Governors’ Cup eliminations.
Reyes and his depleted Tropang 5G sorely missed the likes of Calvin Oftana, Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams in their 106-103 win over the Macau Giant Pandas, and the firebrand coach naturally wants those healthy and available to step up and take advantage of the playing opportunities that will come their way.
“We cannot worry about who we do not have. The only thing we can control is who we have,” Reyes said they averted a collapse on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where the Tropang 5G almost squandered a 16-point lead with just over four minutes to go.
TNT opened the conference with Oftana sidelined due to a calf injury, Castro and Poy Erram out with injuries and Williams in the United States for personal reasons. And they were absences that prompted Reyes to dig deep in his bench.
Reyes started veterans Jio Jalalon and Glenn Khobuntin while giving ample playing time to Kim Aurin and rookie Sean Quitevis, who combined for 17 points, and journeyman Kevin Ferrer and Paul Varilla.
Good thing that his only available big guns Rey Nambatac and RR Pogoy came through with 23 and 21 points, respectively, even as import Darius Days posted 23 points, six rebounds and three assists.
“We’re glad that we got some good games from Sean Quitevis, Kim Aurin, aside from [Nambatac] off the bench. So hopefully it will continue,” said Reyes.
Nambatac fired 8-of-15 from the field while adding three rebounds and six assists in a performance he would like to sustain for the rest of the conference.
“To be honest, my last conference was a wake-up call and an eye-opener for me,” Nambatac said, noting how he wasn’t able to make himself a pivotal player during TNT’s runner-up finish in the Commissioner’s Cup.
“I’ve been playing in the PBA for eight years and that was my worst conference so far,” Nambatac said. “So I told myself that I can’t be like that.
“I need to step up and return to my usual game,” he went on. “And that starts this conference. And good thing I had a good start. And the key for this conference is to be consistent.”
Macau dropped to a 0-4 record, but not after almost turning thing around when TNT went into a cold spell to see a big lead suddenly dwindle to a field goal heading into the final seconds.
De’Vondre Perry finished with 36 points for the Giant Pandas, who are still at the bottom of Group A.
