Bol Bol has this to say to TNT after abrupt end to PBA stint
At A Glance
- TNT head coach Chot Reyes said he reached out to Bol after injury but the leading Best Import candidate, instead of talking about his injury, expressed regret for not being with the team.
Despite the roller coaster of the last three days — from losing its super import in Bol Bol to the wild search for his replacement — TNT played inspired basketball and managed to upset Meralco in Game 3, 77-75, while playing all-Filipino.
And there was a big reason why.
It turned out the team had a parting message from its wounded comrade in Bol, who already flew to the US to repair his torn Achilles.
TNT head coach Chot Reyes said he reached out to Bol after injury but the leading Best Import candidate, instead of talking about his injury, expressed regret for not being with the team.
“I was expecting him to talk about his injury. But Bol's text to me, this is verbatim. Bol's text was, ‘I'm just disappointed, coach, that I'm not there with you throughout the playoffs. Because I really felt we had a good chance to win the championship’,” said Reyes.
“That’s for him. He's not thinking about his future, his career. Nanghihinayang lang siya na hindi siya ang kasama namin,” the veteran coach commented.
Reyes read the message to the rest of the team and that proved to be a huge fuel for his teammates.
“So I read that message to the guys before the game. And I said that, you know, there's something that is greater here than just basketball. It's really our relationships, our bond with each other,” said Reyes.
The message of course struck to the rest of the team.