MANILA, Philippines – Chot Reyes looked past Kelly Williams’ struggles and started the veteran big man for the first time in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals.
That move worked wonders as Williams set the tone for TNT in a 99-72 blowout of Barangay Ginebra in Game 5 on Wednesday, November 6, that gave the Tropang Giga a pivotal 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven affair.
Williams scored the first 7 points of the game for the defending champions and finished with 11 points and 3 rebounds to help TNT get back on track after back-to-back losses in Games 3 and 4.
“All I can say is, it’s the team, it’s the coach, it’s coach Chot. They know I’ve been struggling on and off the court. They just really rallied around me,” said Williams.
“They basically told me they believe in me and that gave me a lot of confidence and fuel to make sure I come in and focus and do whatever the team needs me to do to get a win.”
Williams, the oldest player in the finals at 42 years old, scored just 7 points in the first four games of the series combined.
He even went scoreless in their 106-92 loss in Game 4 as Williams played just over five minutes.
But Reyes, who convinced Williams to come out of retirement when he returned as Tropang Giga coach in 2021, knew the former league MVP still has what it takes to be of great service.
Repaying Reyes’ trust, Williams matched his four-game tally in just the opening quarter then scored all of his 11 points in the first half, allowing TNT to build a commanding 56-33 halftime lead en route to the lopsided win.
“We’ve been together for a long time, Kelly and I, we’ve built that strong trust relationship,” said Reyes. “We need Kelly Williams for us to have a chance, for us to be able to compete against a tough Ginebra team.”
“I was just very straightforward and I told Kelly we’re not going to win the series without him contributing.”
Williams’ breakout performance is the icing on the cake to his work on the defensive end as he and the rest of the Tropang Giga limited Gin Kings import Justin Brownlee to a PBA career-low 8 points on 3-of-13 shooting.
The game marked the first time Brownlee, a three-time Best Import, failed to score in double figures.
“Kelly’s contribution to us is his defensive ability and his energy. He does a lot for us defensively that’s very important in our scheme of things. We hope he can sustain it some more for the rest of the series,” said Reyes.
Williams and TNT go for the clincher in Game 6 on Friday, November 8, at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com
