TNT improved to 3-3 behind a fiery performance by Calvin Oftana in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Sunday, April 7.
On a scorching day, Calvin Oftana made it rain.
Oftana sank six pivotal triples as TNT scraped past Meralco, 92-90, to arrest a two-game slump in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Sunday, April 7.
He fired five from downtown in the second quarter to fuel an 18-7 run for the Tropang Giga that gave them a 49-40 cushion at the break.
And though he was silenced in the third period, Oftana fired five points, including another booming trey, in a crucial stretch in the fourth that gave the lead back to TNT en route to the victory.
The Tropang Giga improved to 3-3 for a share of fifth with Blackwater and Terrafirma, which will try to improve its record against Ginebra in the day's mainer.
The Bolts failed to sustain the momentum of their back-to-back wins as they tied Rain or Shine at eighth with their similar 3-4 slates.
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Oftana fired 19 points in the first half, 17 of which in the second period.
He went gun-shy from there as it was the Bolts' turn to wax hot from downtown this time, with Aaron Black firing three triples at the onset of the third to spark Meralco's repeated fightbacks.
The Bolts, who last held the lead at 30-29 early in the second, regained the upperhand at the 5:52 mark of the fourth on Black's basket for an 80-81 count. They held on to an 84-87 advantage behind Chris Newsome's three-point play.
But Oftana regained his groove, dropping all but one of TNT's last eight points, including the go-ahead triple that shoved them ahead anew at 89-87 with 2:06 to go.
Jayson Castro posts a second-best 15-point showing for TNT against Meralco. | Photo (c) PBA
Bong Quinto pulled Meralco to within two, 92-90, but the Bolts lost their final shot to steal the match as Jolo Mendoza bungled his last-gasp triple.
Oftana ended up with 26 points he topped with nine rebounds and three blocks on his way to earning the Player of the Game honors.
Jayson Castro also made a difference in the fourth quarter for the Tropang Giga when push came to shove and finished with 15 points and six rebounds. RR Pogoy, Kelly Williams, and Henry Galinato contributed 11 points each.
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Black and Cliff Hodge paced Meralco with 16 points apiece and combined for 13 rebounds.
Allein Maliksi had 11 markers before getting the boot after incurring his sixth foul with still 1:23 remaining in the game. Chris Banchero added 10.
The Scores:
TNT 92 – Oftana 26, Castro 15, Pogoy 11, K.Williams 11, Galinato 11, Khobuntin 8, Montalbo 5, Aurin 3, M.Ganuelas-Rosser 2, B.Ganuelas-Rosser 0, Varilla 0, Reyes 0, Heruela 0, Ponferrada 0.
MERALCO 90 – Black 16, Hodge 16, Maliksi 11, Banchero 10, Quinto 9, Newsome 8, Almazan 8, Pascual 5, Mendoza 2, Jose 2, Torres 2, Pasaol 1, Rios 0.
Quarterscores: 21-25, 49-40, 73-68, 92-90