Calvin Abueva is already training with Magnolia and is set to return to the Philippine Basketball Association on 1 December.
Hotshots coach Chito Victolero yesterday said Abueva is very close to rejoin them for the Commissioner’s Cup after undergoing hemorrhoids operation.
Although Abueva was reduced into a mere cheerleader, the Hotshots still played with a lot of energy in manhandling TNT Tropang Giga, 110-102, in the opening salvo last Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“He’s already been practicing and, in fact, he can even dunk the basketball,” said Victolero, whose squad went undefeated in 11 games in the PBA On Tour.
Abueva said he is eager to hit the court. In fact, he got even hungrier when he was denied of a chance to see action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 19th Asian Games.
Now, he has a chance to make up for the lost time by seeing action for the red-hot Hotshots.
“I promised myself that I will use this coming season as a good opportunity to bounce back, all the opportunities that I’ve missed in the Asian Games,” Abueva said.
“I can now focus on helping my team in winning the championship.”
With Abueva out, the Hotshots found a new source of energy in import Tyler Bey.
Bey, who won a championship in the National Basketball Association G League while playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and emerged as the top scorer in Israel, finished with 31 points, 20 rebounds and tremendous amount of energy to make up for the absence of Abueva.
“Tyler is very, very athletic and he can play both ends of the floor,” Victolero said.
“But we’re a defensive mindset. He’s our best perimeter player, but he’s likewise our best rim protector.”
