THE overtime loss to Terrafirma stung Rain or Shine so hard it served as the team’s motivation heading to its 2021 PBA Governors Cup game against Phoenix.
Rey Nambatac most especially.
The rising star out of Letran completed a clutch three-point play in the final 22 seconds to help the Elasto Painters complete an 89-88 comeback win over the Fuel Masters to get back on the winning track in the season-ending meet.
Nambatac finished with a team-high 17 points, 13 of them in the second half including a tough shot off the outstretched arms of Chris Banchero with a foul to boot that erased a two-point Rain or Shine deficit and gave the team the lead for good.
He later admitted the heartbreaker against the Terrafirma was a bitter pill to swallow for the Elastopainters.
Nambatac poured in 25 points in the 112-106 OT loss to the Dyip.
“Actually `yung first loss namin against Terrafirma yun ang naging motivation namin. Andun kami sa practice na medyo tight kaming lahat, kasi sa sarili namin hirap kaming tanggapin na natalo kami kasi stats-wise nakita namin lamang na lamang kami all the way,” he recalled the day following the team’s first loss of the conference.
“Pero bilog ang bola. Ganun talaga, nangyayari yung mga ganung bagay.”
Nambatac seeks redemption
Going to the game against Phoenix, Nambatac said the frustration was obviously still there.
“So dito namin binuhos lahat,” he added.
But the Elasto Painters had to grind it out, rallying from as much as an early 13-point deficit and as much as 77-86 down with eight minutes left before pulling off the win.
“Alam naming yung Phoenix isa sila sa mga top defensive teams e, so nag-practice kami talaga, doon kami nag-focus in our last two days ng practice namin,” said Nambatac.
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