Gilas Pilipinas’ Wednesday practice session was noticeably rowdier (in a good way) than the usual and a little more intense, and a simple glance at the Meralco Gym hardcourts gives one the answer as to why the particular session panned out that way.
Forward Calvin Abueva, the six-foot-three presence in every sense of the word that Gilas had missed for a considerable amount of time finally returned to practice after a week-long break.
Arguably the heart and soul and the glue guy of the team, Abueva injected energy and intensity right away, performing drills and scrimmages like he never missed a beat. He even hit Ray Parks and Marcio Lassiter inadvertently, with the latter having to ice the right side of his face.
It’s basketball, it happens says Lassiter
“It’s basketball, it happens,” Lassiter said of Abueva’s hit which caused the portion around his right eye to swell.
Such instances are no big deal for Gilas; they’re part of practices. What’s important is to get the practice pool bigger and bigger as the FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament in Manila draws closer.
And Abueva’s return doesn’t only add extra bodies to practice; it brings another dimension of intensity and competitive spirit.
“Calvin is Calvin,” Gilas head coach Tab Baldwin said. “He brings the same thing. He brings his energy, he brings intensity, he brings a feeling of enjoyment to the game.”
During one stretch of the five-on-five drills Gilas performed, Baldwin even assigned Abueva to defend Parks.
Later, Parks shared Abueva’s physicality and hustle aren’t new to him, and that it is a positive for Gilas as it brings out the best in them.
“Nakalaban ko na siya eh. Filoil. That’s what he is known for. Yun ang specialty niya eh. Talent niya yun. We need that on the team,” Parks shared.
Bobby Parks Jr. faced-off against Calvin Abueva during the 2012 Filoil Flying V Premier Cup (Zeke Alonzo)
“Kahit si coach naman kanina, sabi niya bantayan daw ako, tulak-tulakin daw ako, just to prepare me. So, nabi-bring yung competitive edge (namin). It’s fine with me. Sanay na ako.”
While Abueva still has to catch up on some plays and talking points, Baldwin is confident he can do it fast enough.
More importantly, the entire team is glad to have a difference-maker back in the campaign.
“Any team that experiences that (energy) enjoys that. They revel in that. We were waiting for him, he arrived, and he did not disappoint. He has things to catch up on but he will do that,” Baldwin said.
