Calvin Oftana plays through ankle pain to lead TNT to a win over Magnolia in the PBA quarterfinals

The TNT Tropang Giga kept their hopes of securing an elusive Grand Slam of titles alive after registering an exciting 89–88 victory over the Magnolia Hotshots in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup on Wednesday, June 18, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Veteran guard Roger Pogoy led the way for TNT, scoring 30 points and exploding in the fourth quarter to ultimately propel Tropang Giga to victory. However, it was the performance of Calvin Oftana that drew widespread acclaim, as the forward contributed 21 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and three steals in the win.

What made his performance even more remarkable was that Oftana played through pain and swelling in his right ankle. Notably, he sprained the ankle in the second half of Tropang Giga’s final elimination-round game—also against the Magnolia Hotshots—on Friday, June 13, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Reports at the time indicated that the injury was a “high-grade sprain” and that the ankle had turned purple. According to sports-health.com, this discoloration suggests that “small blood vessels are damaged and blood leaks into the tissues.”

‘DI SADYA, ‘DI SADYA 😅

WATCH: Calvin Oftana jokes around with William Navarro after the game between TNT and Magnolia.

Oftana was whistled for a flagrant foul penalty one on Navarro in the tail-end of the third quarter. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/VgB4FrtChm

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) June 18, 2025

“May pain na. Nandoon pa rin ‘yong maga, pero playoffs ‘to, eh. Lalo na’t do-or-die kami, so kailangang ibuhos na. Kailangan talaga, eh. Kailangang kumayod kasi ayaw ko ring matapos ang conference namin ngayon. At least, nabigyan kami ng pag-asa. Hopefully, mairaos namin,” Oftana said in the post-game press conference.

The entire TNT squad and management are under massive pressure, as the team is aiming to complete a Grand Slam this season. However, the 29-year-old Oftana reiterated that it is not something the team is currently focusing on.

“Hindi pa namin iniisip ‘yon. Wala talaga sa isip namin. We are just going to take it one game at a time lang,” he added.

Oftana has continued his strong postseason form for TNT. He was also instrumental in Tropang Giga’s sixth-place finish in the Philippine Cup standings, averaging 20.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game across 11 appearances, while shooting 42.3 percent from three-point range.

Tropang Giga’s win nullified Magnolia’s twice-to-beat advantage, with both teams now set to battle for a spot in the semifinals. The do-or-die game will take place on Saturday, June 21, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

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