Talk 'N Text rookie Tautuaa on future monicker: 'Anything but 'pebbles''

Talk 'N Text rookie Moala Tautuaa faced a tough test on Sunday night as he dueled with Rain or Shine's burly big men Beau Belga and JR Quinahan for the first time.

The 26-year-old center more than held his own in the shaded lane, as he tallied a career-high 27 points and eight rebounds off the bench, leading the Tropang Texters to a 95-85 victory.

It was all fun for the top draft pick, who doesn't mind the physicality, but it all changed when Tautuaa learned that the Belga-Quinahan duo is called "Extra Rice Inc."

"How come they get a cool name and I get Pebbles?" he said when asked about the Elasto Painter bigs after the game. "I want something cool."

Tautuaa, a 6-foot-7 Fil-Tongan, is considered by many as Asi Taulava's heir apparent due to their shared heritage. With The Rock as his predecessor, he was jokingly baptized as "Pebbles" by his Gilas Pilipinas teammates.

The nickname sounds like a term of endearment coming from the 42-year-old Taulava, but others like Calvin Abueva often use it to playfully tease the young slotman.

Asked what he prefers to be called, Tautuaa said, "Literally anything. Anything will feel better than Pebbles."

With the dominance he showed against Rain or Shine and his steadying numbers, he probably does not have to worry about having a proper moniker for much longer.- RAF, GMA News