Calvin Oftana scores buzzer-beating putback as TNT rips San Miguel for solo lead

Calvin Oftana was at the right place at the right time and scored the game-winning putback to give TNT a 105-103 win over San Miguel, Sunday night in the elimination round of the PBA Season 47 Governors’ Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

With the game tied at 103 with just 13 ticks left on the game clock, Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson charged strong to the hoop against his counterpart Cameron Clark and missed. Fortunately for the former NBA player, Oftana was there to put it back and give his team the victory.

The Beermen absorbed their second loss in 9 outings while the flagship team of the MVP group picked up their 6th consecutive win and assumed solo leadership with an 8-1 card.

Jayson Castro paced TNT with 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting with 2-of-6 coming from beyond the arc. The 7-time PBA champion also had 5 rebounds and 8 assists in 30 minutes of action.

“Calvin was just in the right place at the right time. He’s been a great, great rebounder for us and just one of those rebounds that he got there to finish. That was just it – Calvin being around the basket,” said TNT head coach Jojo Lastimosa.

“That was Jayson’s idea actually, because I wanted a play where he will get the ball and Rondae, they’re going to have a two-man game,” he added. “But Jayson nixed it, he said, ‘Coach, because Jericho’s been hugging me like a tree, I’m going to set a screen for Rondae for him to make a play.’ That was Jayson’s play. We got a good shot at the basket and again, the guys crashed the boards and it was coming from Calvin. Great effort by Calvin.”

Clark led the league’s winningest franchise with a double-double output of 30 points and 11 rebounds to go with 4 assists in 39 minutes of action. CJ Perez added 25 points, 7 boards, 4 dimes and a steal while June Mar Fajardo and Jericho Cruz chipped in 12 and 10 markers, respectively with the former adding a team-high 13 rebounds to his tally.

The Beermen will have an extended break due to the 6th window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, EASL Champions Week and PBA All-Star Game. They’ll be back in action on Wednesday, March 15, 5:45pm to take on NLEX at the same venue.

The scores:

TNT 105 – Castro 21, Hollis-Jefferson 19, K.Williams 16, Oftana 14, M.Williams 11, Chua 8, Khobuntin 8, Varilla 4, Montalbo 4.

San Miguel 103 – Clark 30, Perez 25, Fajardo 12, Cruz 10, Manuel 8, Tautuaa 6, Enciso 5, Lassiter 4, Bualandi 3, Brondial 0, Ross 0, Brondial 0.

Quarterscores: 24-20, 49-48, 83-77, 105-103.