I was watching the RPTV telecast of Game 7 when Sev Sarmenta told his broadcast partners, Quinito Henson and Yeng Guiao, that any team would be lucky to have Rey Nambatac as their main man. Now, I can’t remember the exact context—or whether it was Sev or Quinito who said it—but one thing stuck with me: the broadcast team went silent for a moment before the play resumed.
Just a couple of conferences ago, a frustrated Nambatac had been asking Rain or Shine to trade him. In the 2022-23 PBA season, he averaged 13 points and 4 rebounds in 28 minutes per game for the Elasto Painters. But when Yeng Guiao returned to ROS, his role started to shrink. At first, he still got minutes and touches, but by the 2023-24 season, his playing time dropped to 18 minutes, where he averaged just 9 points. Guiao’s no-superstar system has its merits, but limiting Nambatac while focusing on his Jhonard Clarito project felt like a head-scratcher. Sure, Guiao has a knack for turning chicken shit into chicken salad, but sometimes, he also does the opposite.
Nambatac finally got his wish when he was traded to Blackwater for a pair of draft picks—one of which turned into Caelan Tiongson. This move also pushed Guiao to find a replacement, which he got in Adrian Nocum. So yeah, Guiao can’t be too upset about Nambatac’s evolution, but watching him dominate in the finals—and torch ROS in their semifinal loss to TNT—must have stung like hell.
Now, Nambatac is a two-time champion and a Finals MVP. And with TNT eyeing a grand slam, his stock could rise even higher. But let’s be real—the grand slam is doable but brutally tough. Every team will be out to derail their run, and on top of that, Nambatac has to embrace the role left behind by Jayson Castro. He stepped up when it mattered most, but can he maintain that same level for 20 to 25 games?
If he pulls it off—whether or not TNT completes the grand slam—Nambatac could become the first Letran Knight since Willie Miller (2008-09) to crack the Mythical Team.
Now that’s how you level up.