By REYNALD MAGALLON
Jayson Castro may have been reduced to a mere cheerleader for TNT in its quarterfinals series against Magnolia but the impact of his presence, even on the sidelines, is undeniable for the Tropang 5G.
TNT head coach Chot Reyes even labeled him as the team’s lucky charm as the Tropang 5G are winning when he’s in attendance.
“Oo nga eh sana kasi akala ko nga mabibreak na yung lucky charm na iyon kasi akala ko matatalo ngayon,” said a smiling Castro on his way out of the PhilSports Arena after TNT’s heartstopping 89-88 win over the Hotshots.
But on a more serious note, Castro has been active on the sidelines, even animated at times, as he continued to provide guidance to its depleted backcourt rotation.
He was seen coaching his teammates when Reyes handed him the drawing board and was even talking to referees when calls went against TNT’s way.
“He really gives a lot of very crucial inputs during the huddle, during the timeout, the halftime break. Sabi ko nga, ‘Jayson, ikaw na nga mag coach.’ He really sees the game very well,” Reyes said of his veteran playmaker.
“Actually namiss ko yung ganitong vibe ang tagal kong hindi nakakapunta sa game kasi nagfocus ako sa rehab ko tsaka sa strengthening ko. And then yung nga sabi ko this playoffs kailangan ko pumunta,” Castro disclosed.
“Di nyo na naitatanong sa morning and sa evening yung workout ko kasi para mapabilis yung recovery ko tsaka may mga ginagaw ako na mga training and workout para mabalik yung dating kong strength,” he added.
Seeing a game as thrilling as the Game 1 of the quarterfinals, Castro admitted that he’s feeling the itch of playing again though he and the rest of the TNT franchise wanted to take things slow and be cautious in his recovery.
Even without him, as well as last conference’s Finals MVP, Rey Nambatac, the Tropang 5G have displayed resilience to keep its Grand Slam bid alive – something that Castro is very proud of.
“‘Yun lang naman yung kaya naming gawin even na down kami ng 13 points in the third quarter lumaban pa rin sila. Iyon lang naman yung reminder ni coach eh basta bigyan lang natin yung sarili ng chance na manalo this game,” said Castro.
