CALVIN Oftana made a late decision to join Gilas Pilipinas in Japan for the 2026 Asian Games despite not yet being fully recovered from his injuries, according to TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa.
Lastimosa said Oftana was motivated by his desire to represent the country and stepped in after injuries affected the national men’s basketball team roster.
“Calvin is close to 100 percent, he opted to play last minute due to (Gilas Pilipinas) team injuries,” Lastimosa told Fastbreak in a message on Thursday.
Oftana was named Gilas’ 12th and final player for the Asian Games, replacing Justin Brownlee, who will miss the tournament while recovering from injuries in the United States.
The TNT forward had been part of the national team’s list of potential players, but his availability remained uncertain before he recently rejoined the Tropang 5G practices.
Oftana is expected to provide additional depth as Gilas begins its title defense without Brownlee.
The Philippines opens its Asian Games campaign against Bahrain on Sept. 11. (Adrian Co)
