Limping Tropang 5G hurdle opening test

MANILA, Philippines — These are trying times for defending champion TNT.

Bit by the injury bug, the Tropang 5G launched their bid in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup last night without major contributors from its two championships and three runnerup finishes in the last five conferences.

No Jayson Castro (ankle). No Calvin Oftana (calf). No Poy Erram (knee). No Brandon Rosser (ankle). No Kelly Williams (personal matters).

Add in resident import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson who is still recovering from the torn Achilles he sustained last December. Plus the fact that stand-in reinforcement Darius Days is far from his top form coming off a five-month layoff.

But count on TNT’s trademark fighting heart to come out in moments like these.

With a collective effort, the troops of coach Chot Reyes hurdled their first test in the import-flavored conference, edging guest team Macau, 106-103, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

At the forefront of this effort was Rey Nambatac, who is on a personal atonement mission after a woeful 5.5-point average in the Commissioner’s Cup. Nambatac fired 23, matching the scoring output of Days, while issuing six assists.

“I was lost talaga last conference, so sabi ko kailangan kong i-redeem ang sarili ko, i-redeem ang laro ko. Thank God, unti-unti naibabalik ko na usual na nilalaro ko,” he said.

“Malaking factor ‘yung kulang-kulang kami. So siyempre kailangang may mag-step up, including  myself.  So ‘yun ang mindset ko, kailangang maging consistent and I need to step up hangga’t hindi pa healthy yung ibang mga kasama ko,” he added.

RR Pogoy also dished out a solid 21-point performance.

With Nambatac leading the charge, TNT seized control in the third with a 28-19 exchange and held a 104-89 lead halfway through the fourth.

Then they fended off Macau’s searing rally.