PBA: Jimmy Alapag thrilled as Harvey Carey’s jersey set to be retired by TNT

FILE – Jimmy Alapag, left, and Harvey Carey during a PBA game. PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines-Jimmy Alapag is glad that a fellow member of the 2003 PBA Draft class will join him as the only players who had their numbers retired by TNT.

“A Hall of Fame career built on hard work, dedication, and selfless leadership. 4EVER in the books!!!,” Alapag said after the team announced that it is formally retiring Harvey Carey’s No. 4 jersey next week.

The ceremony to honor Carey is set on June 28 when the Tropang Giga face the Meralco Bolts in the PBA On Tour at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Carey played all of his 17 seasons with the TNT franchise before deciding to hang it up after the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

While Alapag, Jayson Castro and Ranidel de Ocampo were more prominent figures, particularly for their achievements representing Gilas Pilipinas in international competitions, Carey is perhaps one of the backbones of TNT’s championship runs.

FILE – TNT’s Harvey Carey. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

His blue-collar work was instrumental in having TNT rule the 2003 All-Filipino Cup, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Philippine Cup and the 2011 and 2015 Commissioner’s Cup.

The 44-year-old joins Alapag, whose No. 3 was retired by TNT during his first retirement in 2015.

While the ceremony won’t be held next week, TNT already has a banner for Carey which is being hung alongside Alapag at the team’s practice facility at Moro Lorenzo Sports Center inside the Ateneo campus.

Jersey retirements are a rarity in the league, with Magnolia and the defunct Alaska franchise among the teams that regularly give some of their legendary players the distinction.

Recent players who had the honor were Sonny Thoss with Alaska in 2022 and the duo of Marc Pingris and PJ Simon for Magnolia in 2021.

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