Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
3 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs Terrafirma
6:15 p.m. — Magnolia vs Converge
Calvin Abueva will be making a return when Magnolia battles Converge in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Hotshots coach Chito Victolero said Abueva, who is branded as “The Beast” for his devil-may-care attitude inside the court, had already secured his clearance, making him available to play in their 6:15 p.m. encounter against the FiberXers.
“He’ll play on Saturday,” Victolero said, adding that Abueva’s calf injury is no longer an issue.
“He had just been cleared to play.”
Abueva struggled to stay healthy in the season-opening conference.
After undergoing operation for hemorrhoids, he suffered a calf strain injury in practice that further delayed his return.
Still, the Hotshots rewarded the 35-year-old forward with a three-year extension that formally cemented his spot in the team.
Magnolia could be Abueva’s last stop.
He started his career at Alaska, where he won his only title in the Commissioner’s Cup in 2013. Then, he moved to Phoenix Super LPG but figured in a controversy in which he delivered a low blow on import Terrence Jones that led to his two-year suspension.
Abueva got reinstated during the league’s first ever bubble tournament in Pampanga, but he was traded to Magnolia the following season.
It’s been more than a decade since his last title and Abueva is now in a much better position to win the next one as the Hotshots are leading in the ongoing import-laced tournament with an 8-1 win-loss record.
A win over the FiberXers will guarantee the Hotshots a twice-to-beat advantage going into the playoffs.
