Oftana stays hungry, motivated

Calvin Oftana and the TNT Tropang Giga are far from done despite clinching the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup title recently.

Oftana said he remains hungry and motivated to win not just for himself but also for his growing family.

“Of course, this is sweeter than our first championship,” said the 28-year-old Oftana, who was part of the Tropang Giga’s title run last year with import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at the helm under head coach Jojo Lastimosa.

He was also in the Gilas Pilipinas lineup when it beat New Zealand, 93-89, in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers late Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“Before, my wife was just pregnant. But now, I am already with my son and he can now understand the flow of the game. He and my wife are my inspiration to work hard. Our latest title is sweet because we survived all the challenges along the way.”

Oftana, whose candidness and humility earned him the endearment of basketball fans, stressed that he is finally reaping the fruits of his hard work.

“There were times that the outcome of the game didn’t favor us. Of course, I also get frustrated. You can’t avoid that if you’re a player,” he said.

“As a professional player, you need to know how to overcome those things, especially the fans who are so die-hard in cheering for their team. But I have my family, my teammates, coaches and of course our ‘ka-tropa’ who have been motivating us to work harder.”

Off the court, Oftana is very active on social media as he uploads TikTok dance videos with his siblings and shares updates on his Instagram account — powered by TNT, the country’s leading mobile brand. He also reaches out to fans in game venues and virtual platforms.

“We’re playing to bring joy to our ka-tropa,” Oftana said.