Barangay Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson gestures after hitting a 3-pointer towards TNT within the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
MANILA, Philippines—Ginebra coach Tim Cone was on the sting of his seat watching Scottie Thompson and TNT’s Calvin Oftana within the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Christmas Day recreation at Araneta Coliseum on Monday.
Whereas Thompson and the Gin Kings emerged victorious with an 86-78 victory over the Tropang Giga, Cone lauded the head-to-head battle between the Gilas Pilipinas gamers.
“My take is, in the event you put Scottie and Calvin within the court docket park and allow them to play one-on-one, they’re each going to go at one another to win although they’re finest associates. It’s a way of competitors that goes on. It’s in an even bigger stage right here as a result of you have got teammates but when they’re on the park, they wouldn’t give one another any edge. They’d be trash-talking, hitting and bumping. You may assure that,” mentioned Cone.
“Individuals say ‘oh, they’re associates and teammates within the nationwide workforce so they may give one another a little bit little bit of a again off.’ Nah. Received’t occur. Not these guys at this degree. They don’t get this good by being good guys, they’re gonna go at one another.”
Thompson and Oftana shone for his or her respective groups anew.
Thompson solely had 12 factors however he made a few essential triples within the fourth quarter that stored TNT at bay. He additionally collected seven rebounds and 7 assists.
Calvin Oftana.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
Oftana, in the meantime, tallied a game-high 27 factors on high of 5 rebounds and three steals for the Tropang Giga.
“Down the stretch, I simply needed me and Calvin to be nearer within the recreation,” mentioned Thompson in jest.
“We knew one another extra in Gilas and we each needed to win for our workforce. We simply did our greatest for our mom groups and after this, we’re nonetheless associates. In his final shot, he even hit my head together with his elbow,” he added.
Cone, in the meantime, revealed that Thompson took the problem of defending Oftana within the fourth quarter after the previous San Beda star received going.
“He (Thompson) truly requested for him. They’re finest buddies from Gilas, they had been roommates they usually’re actually tight. He (Oftana) was getting free and through a timeout with seven minutes to go, Scottie mentioned, ‘let me have Calvin.’”
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“Clearly, it was an incredible teaching transfer by Scottie to try this and he took the problem down the stretch and Calvin was our goal all over. He’s having an amazing All-Star, MVP-like convention proper now and he was actually our goal.”