Hugnatan repays Norman Black's trust with crucial triples in Meralco win

MANILA, Philippines — As far as confidence boosters go, Meralco head coach Norman Black may have given Reynel Hugnatan everything.

And in exchange, Hugnatan had given his all, too, raining a barrage of 3-point shots over crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra and a series lead in their PBA Finals skirmish.

“Sobrang thankful lang talaga ako sa kanya,” the 13-year veteran said. “Before that, apat ata na [attempts] bago pumasok ‘yung tira ko.”

Hugnatan, rattled his four shots before he caught fire in the game final three minutes. He sank his first triple of the night when the clock read 2:37, and then followed it with another.

Then another. And one more until the Bolts held a 105-98 advantage over the Gin Kings.

“Everytime na open ako, he’s saying na ‘Tira mo! Tira mo!” Hugnatan shared. “Sobrang thankful ako na pinapatira ako sa labas.”

Before this season, Hugnatan has only made 12 3-pointers since being drafted with the Coca Cola Tigers in 2003. This year, he has made 17—with three coming out of this series-shifting match,

According to Black, the 37-year-old cager from Negros has been in this high level of pressure — and has knocked down shots as crucial as the ones on Wednesday night.

Hugnatan will be looking to add his fifth championship hardware if Meralco wins it all. He has won two each with the Coca Cola Tigers and the Alaska Aces in his long stint in the league.