One major reason the TNT Tropang 5G is up, 1–0, in their PBA Philippine Cup semis duel with the Meralco Bolts was the masterful Game 1 played by Calvin Oftana, who delivered a game-high 28 points on 11-for-12 shooting from the line. The former San Beda Red Lion added 7 rebounds and was noticeably calling for the ball down the stretch in a tight contest.
Asked about it afterward, Oftana acknowledged he was, indeed, looking to get the ball in his hands in crunch time as the game hung in the balance. The reason? He didn’t want to take any chances—not with the Tropa’s guards seemingly out of sync in the last eight minutes of Game 1.
“Nakita ko ’yung mga guards namin nagmamadali na naman. They’re rushing to pass and jump-stopping. Sayang ’yung lamang…,” Oftana said after TNT’s opening-series win on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Oftana, TNT Bounce Back After First-Half ‘Wake-Up Call’
For a while, it didn’t look like TNT would need any kind of heroics as the Tropa fell behind by as much as 21 in the first half. Oftana and company looked lost in the first 24 minutes of Game 1 and appeared headed for a blowout loss after giving up 62 first-half points. But TNT ultimately settled down and found its stride, especially on the defensive side of things, to turn the game around in the second half—but not after Chot Reyes tore into the Tropa for giving up that many points.
“I’m happy with the way we played nung second half. ’Yung depensa namin. Wake-up call ’yung 62 points [ng Meralco]. Sabi ni coach, pili lang kami kung anong ibibigay namin…,” Oftana said. “Palagi naman kaming ginigising niyan [Reyes] sa bench pa lang, lalo pag hindi kami dumidepensa.”
While happy with that second-half push, Oftana nonetheless knows that the Tropa could be in for a dogfight. Regardless, he vowed TNT would be ready, particularly for Game 2.
“Mahaba pa ’yung series, so hindi namin alam. But we’ll be ready for Game 2,” he added.
