Jayson Castro’s mission for the PBA Governors Cup was loud and clear: he wants to win a championship.
No wonder, Castro has been churning out import-like numbers early in the season-ending reinforced conference.
His latest stats line included 26 points, 10 assists, 5 steals and 4 rebounds, including a crucial free throw in the dying seconds to lift TNT to a pulsating 120-118 win over Alaska on Friday in Antipolo.
The ‘Blur’ was at the center of the KaTropa’s frenetic fourth-quarter pace, scoring 9 points, spiked by two triples, issuing five assists and adding two steals to secure TNT’s third straight win in as many games.
The KaTropa are now tied at the top spot of the standings with surprise leader Mahindra Enforcer.
Castro, the two-time Best Guard in the last two editions of the FIBA-Asia men’s championships, earned his first Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week citation, besting Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar, Rain or Shine guard Paul Lee and San Miguel Beer big man June Mar Fajardo.
After the game, he confirmed reports that a team offered him to play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) a long time ago, though it was something he never gave a careful thought due to his focus at TNT.
“Matagal na ‘yun at tsaka hindi ko na muna iniisip ‘yun kasi ilang conference na kaming hindi nakakapasok ng semifinals,” said the 30-year-old combo guard.
“Yun ang challenge sa amin ng management na makapasok naman uli kami ng finals.”