Calvin Oftana downplayed the shouting match he figured into with no less than Chot Reyes late in TNT’s eventual loss to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in Game 3 of the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Sunday night.
The star forward said that it was only normal between player and coach, and that he still has nothing but the utmost respect for the decorated mentor even as their frustrations got the best of them, which led to that heated spat.
“Normal naman ‘yun sa team eh, na pagsabihan ako,” he said on the heels of their 116-102 defeat at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“Sabi ko nga, ‘Nagkamali, Coach, nagkamali.’ Pero normal ‘yun, nirerespeto ko ‘yung Coach ko.”
It happened approaching the closing minutes of the match, shortly after Oftana committed a turnover when his attempt to pass the ball to teammate Chris McCullough through the defense got intercepted by Justin Brownlee.
Reyes, of course, didn’t like what he saw. He gave the former NCAA MVP out of San Beda an earful, and the latter replied in an exchange caught on cam.
(C) PBA Images
“[Expletive] ginagawa mo, tinatapon mo bola,” the straightforward mentor said, to which his ward responded with, “Nagkamali lang isang beses.”
Nothing untoward happened whatsoever, and Oftana would be subbed out at the 2:58-mark for Rey Nambatac. He would be brought back entering the game’s final minute, but it was all too late as the Kings had already put it away.
That turnover was one of three TNT committed inside the last five minutes of the bout, which indeed hurt their chances of mounting a comeback from 22 down.
Oftana himself owned up to his mistake, and at the same time reiterated that he only has love for Reyes, who was also his coach in Gilas Pilipinas.
“Maganda lang din diyan, doon kayo magkakaintindihan talaga e. Yung mali ko inaako ko, nag-turnover ako tapos converted, nagra-run na sana kami,” he said.
That turnover–and even that verbal exchange–was representative of what had been a long, tough night for Oftana. He only mustered two points after submitting a season-high 31 points and 10 rebounds back in Game 2.
But he refuses to dwell on his bad outing, instead shifting his focus to bouncing back the best he can for the crucial Game 4 this Wednesday.
“Hindi araw-araw, Pasko. Masama ‘yung tulog ngayon. Sabi ko nga sa inyo, ganda ng tulog ko last game,” the 30-year-old quipped.
“I feel bad sa team na hindi ako nakapag-contribute. Pero buti na lang may second chance, may ilang games pa, makakabawi pa.”
