Rey Nambatac was quick to refute notions of him being a Mikey Williams replacement and would rather think of himself as another piece in a puzzle that could help TNT in its championship aspirations against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.

“I’m far from being [Williams],” Nambatac said in Filipino when asked of the comparisons even as the Tropang Giga were looking to go 2-0 against the crowd favorites at press time at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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The last time TNT won it all, it was Williams who put the finishing touches on Ginebra with a 38-point performance, including the go-ahead three-pointer in Game 6 last year.

It was also the last time Williams was seen on the PBA before contract negotiations between him and TNT management stalled as both camps couldn’t find a common ground. Williams’ absence hit hard on the Tropang Giga as they failed to make it past the quarterfinals of both the Commissioner’s Cup and Philippine Cup.

The disappointment of Season 48 prompted TNT to acquire Nambatac from Blackwater, his presence among the reasons why the Tropang Giga are back in the title picture.

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While Nambatac agrees that he’s far from being a mirror image of Williams, that doesn’t mean he can’t greatly impact TNT.

A facilitator

“Mikey is a scorer, and he can find ways against whatever defensive schemes he’ll face,” explained Nambatac. “My playing style is different, but I can give at least 50 percent of what Mikey can do, and the remaining 50 can be done with help from my teammates.

“I really don’t think about playing like Mikey because I’m far from being close. My role here is to be a facilitator, not the primary option which I had to do in the past [with another team]. I think I’ve found the role that suits me here at TNT.”

Nambatac went for 18 points in TNT’s 104-88 win in Game 1 at Ynares Center in Antipolo City, but he was one of many reasons why the Tropang Giga drew the upper hand over the Gin Kings in the series.

Staying consistent and shaking off the eagerness factor of being in his first-ever Finals in the PBA will help a great deal if Nambatac can fulfill TNT’s mission.

“If I let my feelings get the best of me, it will really affect my game,” he said. “But I take it as a motivation and good thing that the coaches and my teammates are guiding me, knowing that this is my first Finals.”