Rey Nambatac Leads TNT to Overtime Victory, Secures PBA Press Corps Player of the Week Honors

Rey Nambatac delivered a pivotal performance to guide TNT to a thrilling 100-98 overtime victory over Meralco, helping the Tropang 5G maintain their lead in the PBA Philippine Cup standings. This win marked TNT's fourth triumph in five games, reinforcing their strong campaign following last season's Finals disappointment.

Nambatac was instrumental in the comeback, scoring 22 points, with 20 of those coming in the second half and overtime. Facing a daunting 23-point deficit, TNT staged a remarkable rally to overturn Meralco’s advantage.

"It’s all about confidence," Nambatac stated, reflecting on his performance. His decisive four-point shot late in regulation put TNT ahead 90-87, although a Nolan Chris Newsome three-pointer for Meralco sent the contest into overtime after Nambatac missed a potential game-clinching four-point attempt.

However, he redeemed himself in the final moments of the extra period by sinking the game-winning jumper off an assist from Chris Banchero, securing the victory for his team.

Despite the success, Nambatac admitted he was still reflective about the missed opportunity earlier, saying, "I really regretted missing the second four-pointer because it could have ended the game. But that miss motivated me to take the last shot in overtime, even if it wasn’t for four points."

For his efforts during the week of October 29 to November 2, Nambatac received the PBA Press Corps Player of the Week award, surpassing other notable contenders including June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Juami Tiongson, Stephen Holt, and Santi Santillan.