Tropang Giga eye revenge vs Chiba Jets

MANILA, Philippines — Revenge and a breakthrough victory in the East Asia Super League are foremost on the minds of TNT as it duels with Japan’s Chiba Jets tonight at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.

The All Saints’ Day showdown serves as the first EASL gig on Philippine soil and the Tropang Giga are poised to mark it by getting even with a Jets side that handed them a 75-93 defeat over in Japan last Oct. 11 and posting a first W in the regional league.

Unlike in that previous outing on the road, the Jojo Lastimosa-coached TNT goes into the 7 p.m. return match with a fuller-bodied team.

Calvin Oftana, who missed the first game while taking his post-Asian Games breather, was reactivated for the Laguna showdown as did trade acquisition Jewel Ponferada, whose papers weren’t completed in time for the initial showdown.

Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who saw action in Japan with hardly a rest from his stint with Jordan in Hangzhou, also reports for duty with fresher legs this time.