TNT import Rondae Hollis Jefferson and former star Mikey Williams exchange greetings during a PBA Commissioner’s Cup game. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Mikey Williams declined to comment on the saga surrounding his current standoff with TNT management as he watched the Tropang Giga deliver perhaps its best performance yet in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with a victory over Barangay Ginebra.
While the likelihood of donning the TNT jersey again is impossible at this point, given that both sides are not in agreement, Williams is also not closing any doors on a potential PBA return.
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“I want to be with them,” Williams said during Tropang Giga’s 91-86 victory in front of a capacity crowd Friday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City. “There are still things to sort out, but I really miss them.”
The feeling is mutual when it comes to the players, with import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, player of the match Calvin Oftana, Poy Erram and Brian Heruela finding time to greet Williams, sitting in the front row with his agent.
While Oftana, who finished with 32 points, said all was well between the players and Williams, the same cannot be said when it came to Reyes and the TNT executives.
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“We haven’t talked in a while,” Reyes said. “There was a time when we were in contact with his agent(s). But since then we’ve had radio silence for maybe a year or at least six months. So he knows my number, he knows how to reach me. I always say I’m one message away.
Converge connection
Williams is back in the country to play for Strong Group Athletics (SGA) in the upcoming Dubai Invitational which is bolstered by former NBA mainstay DeMarcus Cousins and former naturalized Gilas Pilipinas player Andray Blatche.
His participation sparked speculation about whether the move to SGA would be a stepping stone to a possible move to Converge. SGA coach Charles Tiu also serves as an assistant to the FiberXers, albeit in an active capacity.
Tiu had said he would “love to have” Williams at Converge, but that possibility will depend on FiberXers’ interest in acquiring his gaming rights, which could come at the cost of selling some key pieces to the Tropang Giga.
“Only time will tell if (playing for TNT again) is possible,” Williams said.
What Williams saw was a strong performance from TNT as they continued their mastery of Ginebra in the two teams’ first meeting since the Governors Cup final won by the Tropang Giga.
Sixth in a row
TNT climbed to 6-2, retaining its top spot in the standings with a sixth straight victory. Hollis-Jefferson bounced back from a frustrating performance despite winning over NLEX by scoring 25 points, making all 13 free throws after missing half of 12 attempts last time out, along with 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals, while that Erram had the last word. once again in front of a Ginebra public who had fun taunting him by adding 10 points and six rebounds.
Ginebra fell to 6-4 for seventh place while shooting just 36 percent, mostly thanks to TNT’s defense.
“Definitely our best defensive play,” Reyes said. “I thought there were some execution errors, offensively, towards the end. Luckily we made enough stops to give us enough goods.
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Meanwhile, Converge is aiming for an 8-3 record against Blackwater while NLEX and Phoenix battle to improve on their respective 3-6 records on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
