Rey Nambatac overcomes nerves to impress in PBA Finals debut

ANTIPOLO – Rey Nambatac doesn't look nervous on Sunday in the first PBA Finals game of his career.

At least from the outside.

Nambatac fell just three assists shy of a triple double after finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals in TNT’s 104-88 win over Barangay Ginebra in Game One of the Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals.

Even though he has been in the league for seven years, the 30-year-old Nambatac admitted nerves got to him before the he walked into the Ynares Center court for the openerof the best-of-seven championship series.

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Although he already won championships before including an NCAA title with Letran in 2015, the PBA Finals, he admitted, is a totally different experience.

"Actually, ang dami kong mga nararamdaman kanina pagpasok ng arena," said Nambatac. "To be honest, sobrang kinabahan talaga ako lalo na nung nag-opening na. Kinilabutan ako. Parang nanghihina ‘yung katawan ko."

"Good thing, na-overcome ko ‘yun," said Nambatac, who is in his first season with TNT after being acquired from a trade with Blackwater.

Nambatac didn’t have enough looks offensively in the first half, but made an impact in some other areas of the game with his three rebounds, two assists, and two steals to go with his three points.

He revved up his offense in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter where he had 12 as TNT built a league that reached as high as 20.

"’Yung start ng game, first half, medyo nandoon pa ‘yung gigil ko. Hindi ko pa mahanap ‘yung rhythm ko. Good thing, nung second half, unti-unti ko nang nakuha. Nagtuluy-tuloy na," said Nambatac.

PHOTO: PBA Images

Now that his first finals game is behind him, Nambatac said there is still work to do even after TNT’s blowout win over Barangay Ginebra.

In his opinion, Nambatac said TNT can’t afford to give Ginebra any kind of momentum.

"For me, ‘yung mga konting lapses namin which is puwedeng magbigay ng momentum sa kanila. ‘Yun talaga ‘yung iniiwasan namin dahil ‘yung Ginebra, kapag nabigyan mo ng momentum, ng ganung chances, mag-all the way sila," Nambatac said.