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Chot hails resilient RHJ

Sports | Basketball

Chot hails resilient RHJ

By Reynald I. Magallon

At A Glance

TNT coach and now 11-time champion mentor Chot Reyes has nothing but praises for his resilient import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

TNT coach and now 11-time champion mentor Chot Reyes has nothing but praises for his resilient import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

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Reyes hailed their 29-year-old resident reinforcement not only for towing the Tropang 5G to two championships so far this season but more so for his fighting spirit that allowed him to do it despite being hurt.

“Ronday was not 100 percent, but I think it showed in his numbers. His shooting percentage was really way below his usual. But he helped us in so many other ways. Defensively, rebounding, and I think most importantly, in the spirit,” said Reyes.

“Just his warrior spirit, the mentality that he just absolutely refuses to lose. And it rubs off on his teammates,” he added.

Reyes revealed that his prized import has been battling through some hamstring issues since the semifinals. Hollis-Jefferson also even hurt himself more on Game 6 when he crashed to the ad board on the sidelines while trying to save the ball.

Banged up and hurting, the do-it-all forward was even limping in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter and the overtime period before TNT pulled off a nail-biting 87-83 win in Game 7.

He averaged 23.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals – a number he could have not provided if TNT pulled the trigger on the initial plan on replacing him.

“We were really looking, maybe we could fly somebody in, but in the end, we talked to him, Rondae said, ‘No.’ He just told me, ‘Just manage my minutes.’ He said, ‘If they take out Justin, take me out as well,’ which is a miracle because he never wants to be taken out of the game,” said Reyes.

“But that’s why you knew that he’s in pain because he told me, ‘Just manage my minutes,’ because he’s not at 100 percent.”

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