PBA: Calvin Oftana fires 42 as TNT edges Magnolia for first win

TNT forward Calvin Oftana goes off against Magnolia in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.–PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–Calvin Oftana went off for a career-high 42 points as TNT finally entered the win column by defeating slumping Magnolia, 103-100, Wednesday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Oftana also made nine triples in the process, also a personal-best, as the Tropang Giga, fresh off from capturing the Governors’ Cup, prevailed after dropping their first two games in the midseason conference.

Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was also big for TNT with 41 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and four steals, allowing him and Oftana to pull off a feat not seen in over three decades.

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Hollis-Jefferson and Oftana became the first teammates to each score 40 in the same game since import Terrance Bailey and Allan Caidic had 45 and 42, respectively, in Presto Tivoli’s 147-136 victory over San Miguel Beer on Sept. 29, 1991.

The two also accounted for the bulk of the Tropang Giga’s points, with no other player breaching double figures.

Magnolia slipped to 1-3 after a third consecutive defeat despite a balanced-scoring attack led by import Ricardo Ratliffe’s 27 points on top of 14 rebounds.

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Oftana was red hot right from the onset, but it was in third which enabled TNT to seize control and went ahead 81-70 in that period.

The Hotshots go to within three in the fourth, 91-88, after a Mark Barroca basket, but back-to-back threes from RR Pogoy and Oftana enabled the Tropang Giga to pull away once more.