CALVIN Oftana distinguished himself as the first PBA player to make two from the four-point area in a single game during TNT’s 101-95 win over Northport in the Governors’ Cup on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Oftana hit the pair of 4s during the first half and went a perfect 2-of-2 from the 27-foot area as the Tropang Giga won their season debut against a hard-fighting Batang Pier side.
Curiously, the 6-foot-5 wingman shot only 1-of-7 from three-point range and 2-of-7 from two-point-range.
“Baka nga sa four-point (area) na lang ako (mag-concentrate),” Oftana said in jest when told about the statistical discrepancies.
“Siguro na-open lang sa four-point line. Opportunity yun, e.”
Oftana, named part of the Second Mythical Team in the just concluded Season 48, finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and two assists as he complimented returning import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who led TNT with an all-around numbers of 32 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.
But it was Oftana’s shooting from long distance early on that allowed the Tropang Giga to set the pace of the game that saw the Batang Pier playing catch-up ball for the most part.
Oftana said aiming from beyond the three-point line mark is nothing new to him.
“Taking that shot naman hindi na bago sa akin yun kasi ginagawa ko naman sa training yun,” he stressed. “Nakaka-shoot sa 4-points, pero sa 3-points medyo tagilid. Pero I’ll work [on] that.”
That doesn’t mean he’ll be attempting from the four-point line more often.
“Hindi ko naman sinasabi na marami akong ititira dun. Pag may opportunity lang,” he said. “Gaya nun, napansin ko libre ako kaya tinake ko yung opportunity.”
And he has the go-signal from the coaching staff to take it whenever any of them is free.
“Ganun naman si coach (Chot), pag libre ka, itira mo,” said Oftana.
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