TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson braces for Ramadan, PBA Commissioner's Cup semis

As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, there is somewhat of a growing concern about Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s fitness entering the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.

After all, Ramadan requires Muslims all over the world to fast, among other things, from morning to sundown for 30 days.

Ramadan this year is expected to begin on February 28. By then, the no. 2 seed TNT Tropang Giga are likely in the thick of the semifinals against either Rain or Shine or Converge.

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But no worries, said the two-time PBA Best Import.

“I look forward to it. I embrace it. And as a Muslim, that's what we're supposed to do. Nothing's gonna change. I've played in Ramadan a couple of times so I look forward to it,” he said.

Fasting is tough, to say the least, for an athlete who plays at the highest level of basketball. But this is no longer something new for RHJ.

All he needs are a few days or so to acclimatize his body to this set up again.

“I try to really exert myself in like the first week to get my body adjusted, get acclimated to feeling how I feel, you know, not having as much water in my system,” RHJ said.

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“Later on in the day, you're talking about 4 o'clock, 5 o'clock, where you're like you're almost there, you're almost able to drink but you can't, those are the moments you really wanna like try to see if you can exert yourself and push yourself to the next level," he added.

For now though, the Tropang Giga await the winner between the Elasto Painters the the FiberXers. 

Rain or Shine dragged the FiberXers to a deciding Game 3 set on Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

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