Interim Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone was visibly impressed by how quickly Calvin Oftana adapted to their system for the upcoming Asian Games.
Despite limited practice time, Cone decided to include the 6-foot-5 former San Beda Red Lion in the rotation during their tuneup against the Changwon LG Sakers on Friday.
Oftana lived up to expectations, contributing 13 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists in 21 minutes of play, playing a crucial role in their 86-81 victory against the LG Sakers.
Cone noted that Oftana’s performance reminded him of a player he coached back when he was part of the Alaska Grand Slam squad in the 90s.
“Calvin might be a lot like Kenneth Duremdes,” said Cone. “When we played Kenneth in the old days, he stepped in and looked great from Day 1.”
“He won the MVP the year we traded for him. So Calvin has that same kind of feel (for the triangle).”
Cone is confident that Oftana will be a valuable asset when they compete in the Asian Games starting next Tuesday.
He also praised CJ Perez for his performance, as Perez scored eight points, grabbed three rebounds, and contributed two assists in the game against Changwon.
“(Perez) got a natural feel for what we’re doing, him and Calvin Oftana. They have a natural feel on what we’re running, the triangle,” he said.
