MANILA — Calvin Oftana marked his return to Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) action with a 31-point explosion as defending champion TNT Tropang 5G demolished Terrafirma Dyip, 116-92, to bolster its semifinal bid in the Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Making his conference debut, the Gilas Pilipinas standout also grabbed six rebounds as the Tropang 5G cruised to their fifth victory in nine games, keeping themselves firmly in contention for a crossover semifinal berth in Group A.
Oftana’s dominant performance provided a timely boost for TNT, which improved to a 5-4 win-loss record as the race for playoff positions intensified.
The Tropang 5G seized control early, establishing a 27-22 lead after the opening quarter before tightening their grip on the contest with a 30-20 second-quarter assault that stretched their advantage to 57-42 at halftime.
TNT maintained its offensive momentum after the break, outscoring Terrafirma, 22-20, in the third period before delivering another decisive surge in the final quarter to complete the 24-point demolition.
Import Nick Hornsby provided strong support with 26 points, while Jordan Heading contributed 14 markers. Henry Galinato added 13, Jr. Rey Nambatac chipped in 11, and Roger Pogoy finished with 10.
Maverick Ahanmisi spearheaded Terrafirma’s losing effort with 27 points, while import Justin Strings contributed 25. Brent Paraiso added 11 as the Dyip slipped to a 3-6 record.
Meanwhile, NLEX Road Warriors stole the spotlight by rewriting the PBA record books with a historic 138-78 annihilation of the Macau Giant Pandas.
The staggering 60-point victory established a new league record for the largest winning margin, eclipsing the previous 56-point mark set earlier this year when the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters crushed the Blackwater Bossing, 151-95.
Deschon Winston led NLEX’s record-breaking offensive onslaught with 25 points, three rebounds and one assist, while import Deonte Burton nearly registered a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.
Robert Bolick contributed 14 points, while Kevin Alas, LJ Gonzales and Anthony Semerad chipped in 10 markers apiece in the Road Warriors’ overwhelming victory.
The triumph lifted NLEX to an 8-2 record, further strengthening its hold on the top spot in Group A and underscoring its credentials as a serious championship contender.
While NLEX continued its dominant run, TNT’s convincing victory provided a much-needed boost to its campaign as the defending champions sought to secure their place in the conference’s next round./PN
