Calvin Oftana’s career-best 42 points power TNT over Magnolia

Calvin Oftana and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson unleashed a dynamic offensive barrage that proved too formidable for Magnolia, propelling TNT to a hard-fought 103-100 victory on Wednesday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Oftana delivered a stunning performance, notching a career-high 42 points, including an impressive eight three-pointers, while Hollis-Jefferson contributed a near double-double with 41 points and 13 rebounds. This pivotal win marked TNT’s first triumph of the mid-season tournament after suffering back-to-back defeats to start their campaign.

Despite the victory, coach Chot Reyes expressed his dissatisfaction, emphasizing that the team’s effort remained his primary concern. “Our only focus for this game was effort. That was written in big letters on our board because I was extremely upset with the lack of intensity we displayed in the first two games,” he stated.

Reyes highlighted Magnolia’s gritty resolve, as they clawed back from a 90-102 deficit to keep the game competitive. However, Hollis-Jefferson sealed the win by hitting his final free throw, extending the lead to 103-97 with just 7.7 seconds left, effectively putting the game out of reach.

Mark Barroca capped the contest with a fallaway three-pointer, but it merely confirmed Magnolia’s third consecutive loss, leaving them at 1-3 in the standings.

Ricardo Ratliffe, finally alleviated of shoulder pain that had hampered his previous performances, recorded a solid 27 points and 14 rebounds. Calvin Abueva also stepped up, delivering his best outing of the tournament with 18 points, matching the contributions of Barroca and Jerom Lastimosa.

However, the absence of injured stars Paul Lee and Zavier Lucero was palpably felt, impacting the Hotshots’ quest to break out of their slump.

This game was a rare spectacle in the league’s 49-year history, with two teammates each scoring over 40 points. Oftana clinched this remarkable feat with his ninth three-pointer, giving TNT a commanding 12-point lead with just over a minute remaining.