No way but forward for TNT’s Oftana after PBA finals heartbreak

MANILA, Philippines – There’s nowhere to go but forward for Calvin Oftana and the rest of the TNT Tropang 5G. 

After suffering yet another finals loss to San Miguel, Oftana and the Tropang 5G could only look ahead as they hope to find their way back to the top following their six-game championship series against the mighty Beermen in the recently concluded PBA Philippine Cup. 

Despite a stellar performance by Oftana, San Miguel disposed of TNT in six games for the second consecutive Philippine Cup title series with a 92-77 beating to secure the All-Filipino crown last Sunday, February 1, at the Mall of Asia Arena. 

“That’s really how life is — you win some, you lose some. All we can do is move forward,” Oftana told reporters in Filipino. 

“This is the outcome, we need to accept it and move forward.”

Oftana left it all on the floor for the Tropang 5G in Game 6, pouring in a team-best 28 points on 8-of-17 shooting, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. 

With TNT playing minus its injured star Roger Pogoy, it was Oftana who carried the scoring cudgels for the Tropang 5G the whole series, averaging a series-high 21 points, to go with his 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists. 

Still, Oftana’s solid numbers clearly weren’t enough as the Beermen, led by 13-time Best Player of the Conference and five-time Finals MVP June Mar Fajardo, were just simply too much to overcome.   

Fajardo was a force to be reckoned with in the series-clincher, posting a monster double-double stat line of 29 points and 23 rebounds, en route to being the first recipient of the Ramon Fernandez Finals MVP trophy. 

“Hats off to San Miguel, they really did well this conference. They worked hard for it,” said the banged-up Oftana.

“We fought back, but we just came up short.”

As TNT sets its sights on its title defense in the Commissioner’s Cup next conference, all eyes will once again be on Oftana as the Tropang 5G are set to miss the services of their resident import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Hollis-Jefferson suffered a right Achilles tendon rupture while reinforcing the Meralco Bolts in the East Asia Super League (EASL) last December. 

The 30-year-old Oftana is also expected to return to national team duties for the second window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers after missing the first window due to a hamstring injury. 

In the meantime, Oftana plans to spend more time with his family and use the break to recover from their grueling Philippine Cup campaign. 

“I’ll focus first on my family and my recovery. I’m still feeling aches and pains. Hopefully it’ll heal as Gilas practices approaches,” he said. – Rappler.com