Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times
(C) FIBA.Basketball

Basketball

Hollis-Jefferson bros look to salvage TNT’s EASL campaign


TNT’s fate in the 2023-24 East Asia Super League (EASL) season now depends on the hands of the Hollis-Jeffersons.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson teams up with his brother Rahlir for the first time in their playing careers as they reinforce the Tropang Giga in a do-or-die match versus Taipei Fubon, Wednesday night at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.

Four years older than Rondae and an NBA G-League veteran who also made stops in Europe and Canada, Rahlir, 32, was tapped to fill in the shoes left behind by Quincy Miller, who played for a total of five games with the club.

Formerly of Converge, Miller played in their PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup opener with Rondae in sick bay before fulfilling his EASL duties. The 31-year-old forward did not win any game with the flagship MVP franchise.

Rahlir’s entry comes at a time when the Tropang Giga are in dire need of a win over the Braves in the 7 p.m. duel to keep its semifinal hopes alive.

TNT is the only winless team in the EASL after fellow PBA team Meralco barged into the win column a week ago behind a gutsy 97-88 overtime win over reigning B. League champion Ryukyu at the Studio City Event Center in Macau.

The Tropang Giga are at the bottom of Group A with a 0-4 record.

Rahlir last week sat courtside at the SMART Araneta Coliseum and watched TNT score a 105-96 victory over Blackwater in PBA action.

“I’m just showing him what he is going to have to do when he comes out here: be aggressive, be a team player, play really good defense, and be a leader,” said Rondae, who tallied a 42-11-8 stat line in the victory.

#ReadMore  Westsports Malaysia spoils Parks' 24th birthday

“This is really big. So I appreciate (coach) Jolas and MVP (owner Manny V. Pangilinan) and all of those guys for allowing this to happen. Definitely, a dream come true for us,” added the former NBA player about teaming up with his bro.

Rondae was not around when the Tropang Giga lost their first home game at the same Laguna venue, 75-66, at the hands of the Chiba Jets.

Meanwhile, the visiting side from the P.League+ of Taipei, bannered by Fil-Am import Sedrick Barefield, is just above TNT in the Group A standings at 1-2.

The Braves’ lone victory came at the expense of the Tropang Giga, 106-97, a month ago at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium.

Written By

Oftentimes on the sidelines. Forever a student of the game. Morayta-bred.


You May Also Like

Basketball

There’s no denying on the part of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson that winning another PBA Best Import award is an achievement he’s immensely grateful for. It’s...

Basketball

Calvin Oftana was left frustrated as he rued not receiving enough touches in the second half of TNT’s eventual defeat to Ginebra on Sunday...

Basketball

Justin Brownlee played his best game of the series to date to lead Ginebra in reducing the Governors’ Cup Finals to a virtual best-of-3...

Basketball

June Mar Fajardo continues to rewrite the PBA’s history books. As if doubling the previous record for most Best Player of the Conference awards...

Basketball

Ginebra avoided falling into a dangerous situation as it found much-needed solutions to decipher TNT, 85-73, and take Game 3 of the PBA Season...

Basketball

Ginebra head coach Tim Cone couldn’t offer much in the aftermath of another loss to TNT in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals,...

Basketball

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson anticipated Barangay Ginebra’s ploy of letting him shoot from three-point distance, so he made them pay for it. The do-it-all winger fired...

Basketball

Jayson Castro has clearly gotten the best of RJ Abarrientos in the ongoing PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals between TNT and Barangay Ginebra....

Advertisement