With TNT Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson missing his mark, head coach Chot Reyes found able help in Jayson Castro and Calvin Oftana.
Jayson Castro and Calvin Oftana caught fire from deep, combining for 12 of TNT's 14 treys to provide the firepower in its 88-84 Game 1 win over Rain or Shine in their race-to-four semifinal joust in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Castro and Oftana came to struggling Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's aid as the import fired blanks from three-point range for a 0-for-7 clip and 8-for-27 overall or a mere 29.6 shooting percentage.
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Castro topscored with 24 points while Oftana, 22.
"Rondae shot really poorly. He didn't even hit 30 percent of his field goals. So it was important that other guys stepped up," said Tropang Giga coach Chot Reyes.
Jayson Castro logs an impressive 70 percent shooting clip as he displays his veteran smarts in the TNT Tropang Giga's Game 1 win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup semifinals. | Photo (c) PBA Images
The Tropang Giga veteran, Castro, converted 70 percent of his attempts from the field while also hauling down two boards, dishing out three assists and swiping four steals. Oftana, who just wrapped up his latest Gilas duty last Sunday, Feb. 23, in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, also produced four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
For his part, Hollis-Jefferson worked hard to come up with a second-best 23 points he topped with 13 rebounds, five assists, one steal and four blocks. He also stumbled to four turnovers.
Reyes credited the Elasto Painters' defense which limited their reinforcement.
"They did a really good job defending Rondae," said Reyes.
"And when that happens, we have to be able to go to our counters. Jayson and Calvin were the ones who provided that firepower coming off the bench," he added.
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Trailing by as many as nine points in the second quarter, 28-37, and 47-51 at the break, TNT turned to Castro and Oftana, who sizzled with a combined five triples in the frame to help it gain the upperhand, 74-70, heading into the final 12 minutes of play.
It was still a close contest in the fourth, with the Tropang Giga posting leads no higher than six points and with Rain or Shine even snaring the edge thrice, the last at 79-81 with 6:17 to go on a Deon Thompson layup.
But RHJ, RR Pogoy and Castro teamed up to give TNT an 87-82 breather nearing the two-minute mark of the final frame.
Tropang Giga had a brief scare as Castro was whistled a flagrant foul 1 against a stealing Andrei Caracut, causing him to ride the bench with just 1:59 left in the match.
But the Elasto Painters failed to capitalize, and TNT made the defensive stops to ensure its triumph in the series opener.
"It was a struggle for us the whole game, but at least we won with our import struggling with his offense," said Reyes.
"I think we should be able to be better and grow from this game."