FOR someone who earned the monicker ‘The Blur’ for his speed and quickness throughout his PBA career, it was quite a chore for injured Jayson Castro to go up a flight of stairs at the Moro Lorenzo Gym just to visit TNT practice last Tuesday.
“Mga 15 minutes, pawis na pawis,” said Tropang Giga coach Chot Reyes, describing Castro’s struggles just to see his teammates, after he sustained a ruptured patellar tendon tear in his right knee that ruled him out for the season.
A day later, Castro was also on the bench for Game 6 of the 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup finals, but had to be assisted by a TNT utility staff just to be able to get there.
Reyes said Castro has been longing to go to the Tropang Giga's practices and games, but just doesn’t have the mobility to do so after he sustained the injury in Game 2 of the semifinals against Rain or Shine.
With TNT facing elimination after going down 3-2 in the title series, however, Castro felt there was no better time to go to a training session.
“Talaga namang gusto niyang pumunta, pero talagang nahihirapan siya. Until yesterday, naka-crutches na siya, may walker pa. Ang hirap,” said Reyes.
“And then, ‘yung meeting room pa namin, nasa second floor. Fifteen minutes na kami doon, wala pa si Jayson. Ang bagal talaga ng lakad.”
Jayson, still leading while injured
Even though he couldn't be on site all the time, though, Castro has been sharing his insights with Tropang Giga assistant coach Josh Reyes throughout the finals.
“Coach Josh spoke to him the day before because Jayson is always giving us a lot of insights. Nag-usap sila. And then, sinabi nga niya na he thinks that he is fit enough to walk. Kasi hindi lang naman ‘yung walk [galing kotse], aakyat pa, bababa pa. Kaya na niya kahapon, so dumating na siya today,” said the shot-caller.
READ: TNT forces winner-take-all Game 7 after surviving Ginebra rally
It was just the inspiration that TNT needed, as Castro witnessed firsthand TNT’s 87-83 win over Barangay Ginebra to force Game 7.
Rey Nambatac, who has taken over lead guard duties, said Castro’s presence last Tuesday was, indeed, a spark for the team.
“’Yung pagpunta pa lang ni kuya Jayson kahapon sa practice namin, sobrang dagdag ng extra motivation sa amin ‘yun. Even though wala siya sa past few games namin, pero ‘yung presence niya, nararamdaman namin," he said.
"Kahapon nga sa practice, may piece of advice sa amin, especially sa veterans, which is in-apply namin sa game.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
