Calvin Oftana will convey his skills, and his limitless potential, to TNT. —PBA IMAGES
Calvin Oftana is looking forward to his first-ever Philippine Basketball Affiliation (PBA) Finals look, a stint TNT needed to make a actuality ever because it acquired the proficient ahead from NLEX earlier within the season.
“I’m excited,” mentioned Oftana, who might be one of many key gamers the Tropang Giga will pin their hopes on in opposition to Barangay Ginebra within the Governors’ Cup Finals sequence which begins on Easter Sunday at Sensible Araneta Coliseum.
“Hopefully we will do the issues that made us profitable this convention, and I’m additionally enthusiastic about how we’re going to cope with our Finals opponent,” added Oftana in Filipino.
TNT secured the companies of Oftana final September, or earlier than the Commissioner’s Cup obtained underway via a three-team commerce that additionally included Blackwater.
However the Tropang Giga needed to unload veteran huge man Troy Rosario, who went to the Bossing, whereas the Highway Warriors obtained rookie Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser from NLEX.
Expectations had been excessive that TNT, coming off a Finals defeat to San Miguel Beer within the Philippine Cup, can be among the many high contenders understanding Oftana’s expertise and spectacular numbers of 17.0 factors, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals in his remaining convention with NLEX.
However the second convention turned out to be a dud for the Tropang Giga as they completed with a 4-8 (win-loss) slate to overlook the playoffs. The dismal marketing campaign additionally became an adjustment interval for Oftana, whose manufacturing dipped to 10.2 factors, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals.
Key determine
Calvin Oftana. PBA IMAGES
“My first convention with TNT was a bit downhill and we didn’t make the quarters,” Oftana mentioned. “However I’m actually wanting ahead to being within the Finals, particularly in my younger profession right here at TNT.”
He averaged 13.6 factors, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a steal up thus far of the season-ending event as TNT made it again to the championship stage by going 10-1 within the eliminations earlier than defeating Phoenix and Meralco within the playoffs.
Oftana was key in TNT’s semis clincher in opposition to Meralco, scoring all of his 21 factors within the first half of Sport 4 which ended with a 107-92 victory.
Now he will get an opportunity to get a championship as a professional, a sense that he had savored a number of instances as a collegiate standout at San Beda within the NCAA. Oftana helped the Crimson Lions win three in a row from 2016.
Will that be an element for Oftana come the championship tussle?
“I spent a few years with San Beda and I used to be capable of expertise the best way to turn into a champion. I suppose it is going to assist me throughout this Finals,” he mentioned.
“But it surely’s true that it’s a distinct league, and we’re now on knowledgeable stage. You’re going through nice coaches and nice gamers—proficient gamers,” Oftana continued. “What I can do is to remain targeted and ensure we will execute our sport plan on this Finals.” INQ
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