By REYNALD MAGALLON
When the going gets tough, it’s always the big guns who deliver for the Tropa.
Calvin Oftana, Kelly Williams and Jayson Castro took charge and put on the finishing touches as TNT completed a repeat over Meralco, 108-99, to virtually assure themselves a spot in the quarterfinals of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Oftana capped a game-long brilliance with a crucial layup down the stretch while Castro and Williams also had timely hits to shake off the hard-fighting Bolts and improve to a 6-1 record and wrest the top spot of Group A.
Getting six wins is considered the magic number for the teams to at least punch a ticket to the playoffs and the Tropang Giga got it by sweeping their elimination matchup with the Bolts who they defeated 93-73 in the first round.
Oftana had his best game since recovering from injury with 25 points built on six triples and seven rebounds while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added an all-around effort of 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
Kim Aurin also had a strong start to the game to finish with 16 points while Poy Erram and Castro added 12 and 11 respectively.
Williams had nine points and six rebounds in his first game of the season – but nothing was more crucial than his layup that sparked a 6-0 spurt where TNT created the separation in the last two minutes.
Up only by three and in the face of a furious Bolts rally, Williams scored on a layup to restore order for the Tropang Giga before Castro and Oftana followed suit with their own layups during that stretch.
Meanwhile, as much as the struggles in his first game back, Shabazz Muhammad still saved the day and delivered the clutch floater as Magnolia escaped by a hairline, 99-98, against the upset-seeking Terrafirma.
With the Hotshots staring at the face of disaster, trailing by four heading into the last two minutes, Zavier Lucero and Paul Lee came up huge before they rode the backs of their prolific import to evade the upset axe of the Dyip.
Muhammad did not have a dream return to the PBA after his brief but explosive stint with San Miguel two years ago as he only finished with 20 points to his name.
He made sure to have the last laugh, nonetheless, as despite playing limited minutes after being saddled by foul trouble, Muhammad scored a tough floater over the outstretched arms of Andreas Cahilig to put Magnolia on top, 99-98, with seven seconds left.
The Hotshots then tightened up their defensive screws in the Dyip’s final possession, making sure that they would not get any clear shot at the basket as Stanley Pringle and Kevin Ferrer went wild with their last gasp attempts.
Muhammad’s heroic, however, would not be possible if not for the timely hits from Lucero, who finished with 17 points, and Lee who only had nine but delivered a clutch four toward the end.
