Rondae Hollis-Jefferson saw the chance to bounce back, and capitalized on it to lift TNT even closer to the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals.
The reigning Best Import was the difference in Game 5 Wednesday, delivering in the clutch to steer the Tropang Giga to an 81-79 win in a showing that had redemption spelled throughout after his heroics fell short the last time out.
“At the end of the day, it’s just basketball,” he said after the match at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. “You’re gonna make some. and you’re gonna miss some.”
It could be recalled that RHJ had the opportunity to win it in Game 4 last Sunday in Cavite, but missed no thanks to the defense of counterpart Aaron Fuller.
Had he made it, the Tropa could have built a commanding 3-0 lead, giving them an even clearer chance of sweeping their way into a Finals return.
But then, they lost. Yet the defending conference champions stuck together despite another tough challenge imposed by their younger foes in Game 5.
And when the going got tough, Hollis-Jefferson was the presence they needed, doing it on both ends to make sure that they wouldn’t fall again.
In seemingly a payback of sorts, he threw down the go-ahead one-handed jam after bullying Fuller with 37 seconds left, and then blocked Jhonard Clarito’s attempt for a game-tying basket on the other end of the floor shortly after.
“I wanted to make sure that we came out with a win, that we secure a score, we secure a stop and that’s what happened,” said the former NBA veteran.
As the dust settled, Hollis-Jefferson finished with all-around numbers of 23 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, five steals, and five blocks.
He did it all, no doubt, but ever the team player, the 29-year-old refused to take all the credit to himself but rather deflected as much to TNT.
“It was a team effort. It wasn’t just about me rebounding, it wasn’t just me out there scoring. If you don’t worry about the guys making big shots, then I don’t get a chance to get downhill and get that dunk,” he said.
