ANTIPOLO – Rondae Hollis-Jefferson delivered a triple double for TNT on the day the basketball world remembered the fifth death anniversary of the legendary Kobe Bryant.
The Tropang Giga import finished with monster numbers of 35 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists in the team’s 115-97 demolition of defendiing PBA Commissioner’s Cup champion San Miguel Sunday at the Ynares Center.
Hollis-Jefferson presided over the win that put TNT on track to a Top 2 spot at the end of the eliminations for a twice-to-beat advantage. The Tropang Giga are currently running second behind Northport (9-3) with an 8-3 record.
Unwittingly, RHJ’s heroics came just as the world commemorates the tragic death of one of the legendary figures in the history of the game.
It’s no secret fans and players alike, have compared the TNT import and Jordan naturalized player to the iconic Los Angeles Lakers superstar, who perished in a helicopter crash together with his daughter Gigi and five others just before the onset of the pandemic in 2020 in Calabasas, California.
READ TNT's blowout win deals San Miguel playoff hopes a serious blow
“We all know how I feel about Kobe and how much I admire his game,” said Hollis-Jefferson when asked about his superb performance which subconsciously turned out to be a tribute of the two-time Best Import to Bryant.
“Like I said during the (FIBA) World Cup, he was definitely with me. I watched him, I studied his game, and he was just a workhorse at the end of the day.”
The ‘Mamba’ attitude of course, is definitely up there in terms of the things RHJ learned from watching and playing against the five-time NBA champion.
“He really cared about the game and he cared about winning, and that’s what I try to do every time I get on the court, try to help my teammates be successful, before we come to the game and practice,” said the first-round pick of the 2015 NBA draft.
“Things like that. You know, trying to be really a leader, and I think that’s why we’re successful.”
Hollis-Jefferson had won two championships with the TNT franchise along with two Best Import of the Conference awards.
He and the Tropang Giga are again on track for another crack at a championship following their win over the struggling Beermen.
They wrap up their elimination round schedule on Friday against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, looking for that coveted twice-to-beat edge heading to the playoffs.
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