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    Calvin Oftana has yet to get scolded by Yeng Guiao - for now

    ‘Hoy, Calvin, Jericho, at Kevin, nawala lang si manong (Kiefer), dribble kayo ng dribble'
    Aug 8, 2022
    Yeng Guiao complaining Calvin Oftana
    When will Calvin Oftana be at the receving end of Yeng Guiao's wrath?
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascaño

    YENG Guiao’s past and present players each have their own horror story of being on the receiving end of the fiery coach’s trademark tough love.

    But one NLEX rising star has miraculously dodged Guiao’s wrath – for now.

    It seems Calvin Oftana has done mostly right in his young PBA career, revealing he has yet to hear a cuss word out of Guiao’s mouth directed at him.

    Calvin Oftana on Guiao tough love

    “Siguro namura na ako sa isip ni coach Yeng. Pero yung narinig ko, wala pa naman.” Oftana said with a chuckle to the surprise of the Spin.ph staff during his SPIN Zoom In guesting last week.

    After all, the 26-year-old Oftana has quickly earned the trust of Guiao since the Road Warriors made him the third overall pick in the 2020 rookie draft over Mikey Williams.

    In Oftana’s freshman year, the former NCAA MVP out of San Beda averaged 10.4 points on a 45.6-percent clip from the field, 5.9 boards, 1.7 assists, and 0.6 steal in 22.9 minutes in 19 games before going down with a fractured hand that forced him to miss the rest of the Governors’ Cup.

    The All-Rookie team member was back in top shape entering this season as he suited up in all of the Road Warriors’ games in the Philippine Cup. He also increased his averages to 16.5 points on 46-percent shooting, 1.6 three-pointers, 7.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.6 steals against 2.7 turnovers in 30.9 minutes in the eliminations as he emerged as one of the team’s go-to guys in the absence of Kiefer Ravena.

    Calvin Oftana NLEX vs Phoenix

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    Oftana, though, admitted he has already received a milder version of Guiao’s fury together with Kevin Alas and former guard Jericho Cruz in a Bacolor bubble game last year.

    “Yung pinaka-grabe lang yung nag-bubble sa Pampanga. Sinabihan niya ako, si kuya Kevin, si kuya Jericho, ‘Hoy, Calvin, Jericho, at Kevin, nawala lang si manong (Kiefer), dribble kayo ng dribble’”

    “Tapos sabay chinat ni kuya Kevin si manong na wala ka na nga dito, nasali ka pa,” he added with a chuckle.

    Oftana also recounted a game against NorthPort where he tried to help out former San Beda teammate Robert Bolick.

    “Nalaglag si Berto, tutulungan ko sana, parang nagalit si coach Yeng, ‘Calvin, kaya na (niya) yan,’” Oftana said. “Yun yung parang ano ni coach Yeng pag sa loob ng court, magkalaban talaga kayo, walang tulungan. Yung kasama niyo lang ang pwede niyo tulungan, kasi sa labas ng court, alam naman natin magkapatid kami.”

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    While Guiao has yet to swear at him, Oftana already knows how effective his coach’s style can be, based on the Road Warriors’ first game this season where the 6-foot-5 wingman was struggling against Terrafirma – only to finish among the heroes in the victory.

    “Ganun yung pahiwatig ni coach Yeng na ipakita yung laro mo,” Oftana said. “First game namin this conference against Terrafirma, ang sama ng laro ko. Nasa isip ko, ‘coach Yeng, pwede paisipin mo muna ako or pahingahin mo muna ako?’ Pero pag nasa upuan ako, tatawagin niya ako, ipapasok niya ako. Parang yun yung way para makabawi ka.”

    More recently, Oftana is also eager to bounce back from a crucial free-throw miss that cost the Road Warriors a shot at advancing to the all-Filipino semifinals.

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      But as they say, what doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.

      “Kung titiklop ka sa mga bagay na yun, kung pusong mamon ka, siguro dun mawawala ka talaga sa laro,” Oftana said. “Pero kung kaya mo naman (intindihin) na ito yung way niya para i-motivate ka, siguro magiging magaling na player ka.”

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      “Parang may nakikita siya sa isang player na gusto niya makita pero hindi nagagawa, so parang dun niya ilalabas sa mga bagay na ganun,” he ended.

      So just wait for your own coach Yeng moment, Calvin.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      When will Calvin Oftana be at the receving end of Yeng Guiao's wrath?
      PHOTO: Jerome Ascaño
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