Oftana, RHJ match milestone last seen 33 years ago to end TNT slide
TNT’s two straight defeats to begin the PBA Commissioner’s Cup seemed like the gut punch it needed to finally get itself out of the championship hangover.
“The past two games, we seemed like we’re on Cloud 9,” said Calvin Oftana, who went off for a career-high 42 points to propel the Tropang Giga past the Magnolia Hotshots at Ninoy Aquino Stadium for their first victory in the midseason tournament.
Oftana knocked down nine triples in the process, also a personal best, while import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson dropped 41 points to join his TNT teammate in matching a milestone that has not been mentioned in 33 years.
The Tropang Giga were able to enter the win column for the first time since defeating Barangay Ginebra for the Governors’ Cup title, the celebration lasting just about four weeks before being brought back to earth with losses to Hong Kong Eastern and the unbeaten NorthPort Batang Pier.
“I told the team that our championship is over and that we have to focus on the job at hand,” Oftana said in Filipino. “We have to be consistent and we need to play better defensively.”
His shooting exhibition allowed TNT to pull away in the third and create a double-digit lead. He then knocked down one more triple in the fourth to secure the victory over a Magnolia side that is on an alarming 1-3 (win-loss) start following its third consecutive loss.
Erram back
Coach Chot Reyes, however, rued how the Tropang Giga closed things out when the Hotshots trimmed the score further into the eventual final count, showing why they’re still in the process of regaining whatever defensive mindset and offensive brilliance that won them the title last November.
“Very relieved [that we finally won] but still upset with the way we ended the game,” said Reyes. “I thought we played courageous until that final 48 seconds.”
TNT welcomed back Poy Erram from a one-game suspension caused by his Flagrant Foul 2 on Eastern’s Glen Yang, but lost Rey Nambatac after the spitfire guard twisted his left foot in the first half.
The Tropang Giga are expected to also have Commissioner’s Cup Finals Most Valuable Player Jayson Castro back from an extended rest in the next game when they meet the Blackwater Bossing on Dec. 19 at Ninoy Aquino.
Ginebra triumphs
Magnolia’s slump continued despite efforts from import Ricardo Ratliffe, Mark Barroca and rookie Jerom Lastimosa as Paul Lee and Zavier Lucero sat out the match due to injuries.
Oftana and Hollis-Jefferson, who added 13 rebounds, five assists and four steals, became the first teammates to score 40 each in the same game since import Terrance Bailey and Allan Caidic of Presto Tivoli.
Bailey dropped 45 while Caidic put out 42 in Tivoli’s 147-136 victory over San Miguel Beer on Sept. 29, 1991.
In the other game on Wednesday, Stephen Holt scored 20 of his 26 points in the third quarter as Barangay Ginebra held off NLEX, 109-100.
