TAMING A BEAST BEFORE HE COULD BE WORTHY OF BEING CALLED A REFORMED PLAYER
Calvin Abueva knows he still has a long way to go in reconstructing a career from the ashes he left in the past. His game betrayed his eagerness, though: 21 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists in a 114-110 victory over NLEX in the PBA Philippine Cup at Angeles University Foundation. His personality? Not so. He paced himself emotionally. No outbursts, no excessive celebrations—certainly nothing to warrant a second look at the lifting of a suspension that was already the longest levied on a player. His overall performance and behavior hold a lot of promise, one that Abueva refuses to utter during his 31 minutes and 47 seconds he was on the floor, an outing preceded by 512 days of suspension, he kept reminding himself that not to be too eager and should learn how to be patient at all times. His moniker fits him perfectly: “The Beast;” only it used to be hard to expect what animal would step unto the hardcourt. At best, he is a bottomless well of motor and energy, capable of filling numbers across statistical departments. Monday’s near triple-double is an example. At worst? There’s the clothesline on former TNT import Terrence Jones. The lewd dance laced with sarcasm and defiance. The lurid exchange with a fan who happened to be the girlfriend of a fellow competitor. Last Monday, the change was palpable. And well received. For Abueva, it was a perfect place to reboot his career. The one-time champion and former Rookie of the Year winner is also busy acclimatizing himself to the restricted surroundings—an integral part of his comeback process. Monday’s victory was the fourth for Phoenix in six games, putting the squad inside the Top 4, a circle that provides twice-to-beat protection in the first round of the playoffs. The Fuel Masters stayed half a game ahead of Alaska, which improved to 4-3 after a 99-96 victory over Terrafirma on Tuesday. Abueva has a hunger, too, one he hopes to satisfy on the court. He barely had anything to say about the episodes that plucked him out of the game. He is less The Beast than he is the mythic creature his team is named after. Shedding all memories of his fall, this Phoenix is focused on rising from the ashes of his own making.#