Eboña, Lastimosa make TNT reunion

Barkley Eboña will not just play a key role for TNT Tropang Giga when they compete in the Philippine Cup of the Philippine Basketball Association that will open this Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Tropang Giga team manager Jojo Lastimosa said he is thrilled to reunite with the 6-foot-6 Eboña, who played for him when he served as assistant coach of Far Eastern University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

Reunion has been becoming the trend in the pro league. Baser Amer, for instance, got reunited with his college coach Frankie Lim at NLEX while James Yap and Rey Nambatac ended up playing together at Blackwater after leaving Rain or Shine a few weeks ago.

Now, it’s Eboña’s turn to reunite with Lastimosa after signing a one-year deal with the Tropang Giga side that is hoping to solve its dearth in the shaded lanes following the injury suffered by big men Poy Erram and Justin Chua.

“Barkley was with us when I was still with FEU and played for me in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League,” said Lastimosa, who also called the shots for the Bataan Defenders in the MPBL.

A golden opportunity awaits the 27-year-old Eboña at TNT. Aside from getting bulk of the minutes due to the absence of Erram and Chua as well as lack of reinforcements, the 6-foot-6 banger is also tipped to blossom due to his familiarity with Lastimosa’s leadership style and support that will be given by Henry Galinato, Jewel Ponferada and veteran Kelly Williams.

The Tropang Giga will be his fourth team after seeing action for Alaska, Blackwater and Converge.