MANILA, Philippines – TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson plans to make up for the days he broke fast after Ramadan as he gears up for a tougher battle against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals.
Admitting that he broke fast in Games 4 and 5 of the semifinals against Rain or Shine, Hollis-Jefferson expects to do the same in the best-of-seven championship series starting on Friday, March 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“I broke it because as you get older, your body needs a lot more. I’m not that old, I turned 30, so I needed to eat something. More importantly, I needed to hydrate,” said Hollis-Jefferson.
“I’ll see how I feel going to Game 1, but I’ll probably eat. I’ll just make it up after Ramadan.”
During the Islamic holy month, able-bodied Muslims like Hollis-Jefferson are required to abstain from food, drink, and sexual relations from sunrise to sunset each day throughout Ramadan.
Ramadan this year began on March 2 and will end on March 31.
Hollis-Jefferson said he only breaks fast on game days as he plays almost the entirety of the Tropang Giga matches, with head coach Chot Reyes fielding him for an average of 44 minutes in the semifinals.
“On game day, it’s a lot harder, because I don’t know what game Chot is going to play me 48 minutes. So I needed to drink some fluids, eat some food to have the proper energy to play 48 minutes,” said the former NBA player.
“And the thing about Islam is you can make up the days after Ramadan if you do so happen to break your fast, or a medical condition, you can make up for the days.”
Even as Hollis-Jefferson observes fasting, he has maintained his all-around production.
In five semifinal games against the Elasto Painters, Hollis-Jefferson churned out 28.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 1.0 steal.
Those numbers allowed TNT to reach the finals for the third time in the last five conferences, with Hollis-Jefferson seeking to win a third title with the Tropang Giga after they captured a pair of Governors’ Cup crowns. – Rappler.com