Weary Oftana finds touch, much to TNT’s benefit

Calvin Oftana admitted that rest remains a privilege following a grueling stretch of games representing flag and country.

But that hardly showed on Wednesday as he became a key part of TNT holding off Rain or Shine and opened the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals up 1-0 in the best-of-seven series.

“It’s a big sacrifice,” Oftana said after finishing with 22 points on top of four rebounds and three assists in the 88-84 triumph inside Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Oftana spent the two-week break donning the colors of Gilas Pilipinas in a pocket tournament in Doha, Qatar, followed by two road defeats at the hands of Chinese-Taipei and New Zealand in the final window of the Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers.

He was hardly a factor in both games, going scoreless in nine minutes in Taipei before posting eight points in 16 minutes when Gilas was beaten harshly in the Kiwi capital of Auckland.

It was only on the eve of the semifinal opener that Oftana finally rejoined the Tropang Giga, albeit lacking sleep and weighed down by the jetlag caused by the time differences in the countries he touched down.

There’s no excuse for the weary, though.

“It is what it is, but I really love basketball and I really love my job,” said Oftana.

Coach Chot Reyes and the Tropang Giga had anticipated the challenges of preparing minus Oftana, but he was pleased with how the versatile forward performed not only on offense, but on the defensive side.

Game 1, however, was highlighted by Oftana’s brilliant shooting, particularly in the second quarter when he knocked down all four attempts from three-point land.

Friday Game 2

For three quarters, TNT and Rain or Shine engaged in an offensive assault from the outside, until things became a grindout battle.

TNT eventually benefited from its stops even as Jayson Castro and import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson came through with key baskets.

Castro finished with 24 points while Hollis-Jefferson had 23 despite going 8-of-27 for the Tropang Giga, who will look to make it two in a row over the Elasto Painters on Friday night at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

The Tropang Giga hope to get some ways to neutralize Elasto Painters import Deon Thompson after he picked up where he left from the quarterfinal series win over the Converge FiberXers with 29 points.

Rain or Shine kept close in the fourth, but saw its multiple chances of tying get thwarted by TNT in the waning minutes.