Calvin Oftana insisted there was no issue between him and TNT head coach Chot Reyes following their animated fourth-quarter exchange during the Tropang 5G’s 116-102 loss to Barangay Ginebra in Game 3 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.
The moment quickly caught attention after Reyes was seen standing and shouting toward Oftana following a turnover with TNT attempting to trim Ginebra’s lead late in the game.
But the veteran forward clarified after the contest that the incident was simply part of the accountability expected within the team.
“Normal naman ‘yun sa team eh, na pagsabihan ako. Sabi ko nga, ‘Nagkamali, Coach, nagkamali.’ Pero normal ‘yun, nirerespeto ko ‘yung Coach ko,” Oftana said.
The exchange stemmed from a costly possession in the closing minutes when Oftana tried to force a pass to Chris McCullough. The ball was intercepted by Justin Brownlee, resulting in a momentum-killing turnover as TNT sought to rally from a 22-point deficit.
Reyes immediately voiced his displeasure from the sidelines, while Oftana responded as cameras captured the interaction.
Shortly afterward, Oftana was substituted out with 2:58 remaining and replaced by Rey Nambatac. He returned in the final minute, but by then Ginebra had already secured control of the game.
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‘INAAKO KO MALI KO, DI AKO NAKAPAG-CONTRIBUTE’
Calvin Oftana took responsibility in TNT’s Game 3 loss to Ginebra, where he only scored two points. | via @PaigeJavier pic.twitter.com/z7cypiscqC
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) June 7, 2026
The turnover was one of three committed by TNT in the final five minutes, a stretch that ultimately derailed any hopes of a late comeback.
Rather than distancing himself from the mistake, Oftana openly acknowledged his role in the sequence.
“Maganda lang din diyan, doon kayo magkakaintindihan talaga e. Yung mali ko inaako ko, nag-turnover ako tapos converted, nagra-run na sana kami,” the 30-year-old said.
The difficult finish capped an uncharacteristically quiet night for Oftana, who managed just two points after erupting for a season-high 31 points and 10 rebounds in TNT’s Game 2 victory.
His sharp drop in production mirrored TNT’s struggles as Ginebra tightened its defense and took command en route to the 14-point win before 18,000 fans.
Still, Oftana is already looking ahead rather than dwelling on what went wrong. With the Tropang 5G seeking to level the Finals once again, the former NCAA MVP said his focus is firmly on bouncing back in the pivotal Game 4 on Wednesday.
“Hindi araw-araw, Pasko. Masama ‘yung tulog ngayon. Sabi ko nga sa inyo, ganda ng tulog ko last game,” Oftana said.
For TNT, a quick recovery will be crucial and for Oftana, Game 4 presents an opportunity to put both the turnover and the sideline exchange behind him while helping the Tropang 5G regain momentum in the championship series.
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