CALVIN Oftana earned a fourth PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week citation this season after a performance that boosted TNT's bid to secure another trip to the Finals.
Oftana's timely plays in Game 2 of the Philippine Cup semifinal series with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters enabled the Tropang 5G to pull off an escape act by taking a 113-105 win at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
That victory came despite another addition to TNT's injury woes when RR Pogoy's hamstring forced him to sit out the remainder of Game 2, prompting Oftana to be in takeover mode. Pogoy had been on a tear since the start of the playoffs, including the Game 1 win to open the semis.
"Parang sinabi niya na 'Ikaw na bahala, migo,' At sabi ko, 'Ako na bahala, migo,'" Oftana said, referring to what the Bisaya-speaking teammates discussed when Pogoy's hamstring gave way.
He finished with 39 points after hitting three free throws late in regulation that forced overtime before adding seven in the extra five-minute period that made it two in a row for TNT in the best-of-seven series.
Though Rain or Shine bounced back in Game 3 to trim the gap to 2-1, Oftana was still given the nod by reporters regularly covering the PBA beat.
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He won over Pogoy, Barangay Ginebra's Jamie Malonzo and Scottie Thompson and Rain or Shine's Anton Asistio after averaging 22.3 points on 51-percent shooting with 9.0 rebounds for the period of June 25 to 29.
It also put Oftana ahead once more in the race for the Order of Merit honor at season's end, breaking his tie with Magnolia's Zavier Lucero.
Of course, Oftana has bigger goals in mind as TNT looks to make the Finals for the third straight conference and a chance at a historic Grand Slam, if it can get two more wins against a resilient Rain or Shine squad.
"Wala pa kaming napapatunayan," said Oftana. "We're not done yet and we need to keep moving forward."
