WEEKS after Gilas Pilipinas faltered in its title-defense campaign in the just-concluded Asian Games in Japan, Filipino wingman Calvin Oftana said he had no regrets, stressing he was able to give his best for the national team.
Oftana was the last man in for the Tim Cone-coached Philippine team, which fielded a new squad in Japan, far different that its lineup in the FIBA qualifiers.
Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos and AJ Edu, among others, did not play for Gilas Pilipinas in Japan since the Asian Games is not a FIBA-sanctioned event, leaving Cone with a PBA-backed roster.
The Asian Games unit was led Robert Bolick, Adrian Nocum and Oftana, the last player named to the team as naturalized player Justin Brownlee did not get the gree light to play as he recovers from multiple injuries.
“I gave my best there (in the Asian Games). (But) we just underperformed,” Oftana said in Filipino during Wednesday’s resumption of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup where TNT rolled past Terrafirma, 116-92.
“We weren’t able to enter the next round, but I’m just proud that we represented the country with all our might, in every way we can.” The sweet-shooting former San Beda wingman played his first game for the Tropang 5G since missing the team’s first eight games for the conference due to nagging injuries.
Oftana dropped 31 points against Terrafirma.
In his return stint with Gilas Pilipinas in Japan, Oftana averaged over 18 points per game.
Unfortunately, the Philippine team only won once in three games, while losing to China by 44 points at the close of the group stage, thus knocking Gilas out of the next round.
“I’m proud of the fact we were able to represent the country. And we didn’t think of anything else but to just represent the Filipinos there, our coaches and teammates,” he added. RICHARD DY
