Five years after they figured in a now infamous bench-clearing brawl against Australia, Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo get a second chance to don the Gilas Pilipinas jersey.
The fiery cagers were tapped by newly appointed Gilas head coach Tim Cone to join the Nationals in their quest to end a 25-year podium drought in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
“I feel blessed and honored that I was given a chance to be back. I’ve watched the games of Gilas and I felt that it kind of lacked intensity and I hope to bring some of that,” Abueva said after Gilas held their first practice session yesterday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
“Just honored to be back and I really prayed to be able to play (for Gilas) at the age of 35. I told myself that if I get that second chance I’ll give my 110 percent for the cause.”
But Abueva’s Asiad participation remains hanging as he and Jason Perkins have yet to secure clearance from the Asian Games organizers.
Romeo, meanwhile, vowed to embrace whatever role Cone would give him.
“I hope to bring to the team the experience I had before with Gilas. I know I still have to fit into the system of coach Tim,” he said.
“Whatever role they will give me under the system of coach Tim, I’ll do it.”
Abueva and Romeo were involved in a melee against the visiting Australians during the 2019 World Cup Asian Qualifiers held at the Philippine Arena in 2018.
