By NIKOLE JAVIER
While the brilliant effort ultimately ended in a defeat, it was PBA import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s FIBA World Cup 39-point performance that was rightly the talk of the town on Monday night, Aug. 28, as Jordan fell short against New Zealand, 87-95, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
In front of the 7,331 fans awaiting crowd darling Austin Reaves and Team USA to take on Greece, the Filipinos were also there for Jefferson this time, and watched as he came through with the and-one three-point shot with 10 seconds left in regulation, bringing Jordan to overtime against New Zealand.
With the Filipino crowd erupting with “Kobe!” chants every time he touched the ball, Jefferson felt that the late Kobe Bryant was with him down the stretch as he put on a performance of a lifetime.
“It means a lot. It’s an honor. There’s definitely only one Kobe, but to feel that love, energy, you know, coming down the stretch, hitting those big shots, God was with me and Kobe was with me, for sure,” said Jefferson who flirted with a double-double after also tallying nine rebounds and four assists.
The comparison which started as a joke on social media has made more sense now seeing how Jefferson has been living up to the billing, he should also feel inspired when two-time World Cup-participant Jordan faces the USA on Wednesday, Aug. 30 to end their group stage campaign and seek for its first win.
With the remarkable performance, Jefferson is currently the second best scorer in the tournament after averaging 31.5 behind Slovenia’s Luka Doncic (35.5).
South Sudan’s Jones Carlik is running in third (28.0) followed by Dominican Republic’s Karl-Anthony Towns (25.0) and the Philippines’ own Jordan Clarkson (24.5).
The naturalized American-Jordanian player, though, is no stranger to the basketball-crazed nation as he previously led the TNT Tropang Giga to the PBA Governors’ Cup title against heavy favorite Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings last April and, in turn, bagged the Best Import of the Conference award, only this time, the Filipinos seemed to be on his side.
The 28-year-old forward has been relishing his return to Manila and kept in touch with TNT head coach Jojo Lastimosa, who was also in attendance to watch Jefferson and Jordan.
It is likely that Jefferson would be on deck for the Tropa in the season-opening PBA Commissioner’s Cup in mid-October.
“I’m open to a lot of things right now. I’m playing in the Philippines this upcoming season, well, here actually. That season ends in February, so I’m open to whoever wants to call,” said Jefferson.
“We’re going to dinner tonight. That’s my guy (Lastimosa), we talk all the time. I appreciate him, love him, he’s been a great guy, great mentor. So I look forward to this season,” he concluded.
