Abueva Valuable Asset, Alaska Says

MANILA, Philippines — Has Alaska Milk drafted a hothead? An extremely talented player who is nonetheless prone to violence and has the potential to become a throbbing headache for the team later on? Did the Aces pass up on Clifford Hodge, Alex Christopher Mallari, John Aldrech Ramos, Christopher Ellis and Chris Tiu during the PBA Rookie Draft to acquire somebody who would bring them despair instead of championships? Joaqui Trillo, the Aces PBA board representative and team manager, doesn't think so. But he's keeping his fingers crossed. A few days ago it was reported in the Bulletin that Calvin Abueva, San Sebastian’s top player and the reigning NCAA MVP, “was being suspended for one game following a disqualification foul he committed in their 83-75 win over Lyceum.” NCAA commissioner Joe Lipa, not a man to mess with, confirmed the sanction. The penalty had dire consequences. Abueva, who was “ejected with 6:08 left in the third quarter after hitting Lyceum’s Vence Laude on the nape with a fist,” not only has to pay for a ”broken acrylic door” which he thrashed in a fit of rage, “the punishment also disqualified him from winning any individual awards, including the MVP plum where he was leading by a mile before his misconduct.” Bad news travels fast. “Yeah, I’ve heard about it and we’ve already spoken,” said Trillo yesterday, returning a call. "He was very sorry for what he did. At hinayang na hinayang siya dahil apektado ata yung pagiging MVP niya e. Sayang naman talaga.” The No. 2 pick overall and Aces management have already agreed in principle to the terms of a "maximum three-year deal," Trillo bared, with Abueva expected to sign the contract at the end of the NCAA season. That would be around mid-October or almost halfway through the PBA Philippine Cup elimination round. “Ang tagal pa nga,” Trillo says, laughing. “E kailangan na kailangan pa naman namin siya.” The PBA’s 38th season opens Sept. 30. The incident involving Abueva was in no way a damper to the deal, said Trillo, who gave their prized draft all the counseling he needed during a meeting at his Alaska office last Friday. “I told him to control his temper even if calls are not going his way. Because dahil rookie lang siya, they’ll gang up on him if he acts that way in the PBA.” The outburst is of little concern to the Aces at the moment. “Wala naman problema with us dahil mabait na bata naman si Calvin e,” said Trillo. “Nadala lang daw siya dahil sa tawag ng referees. Sabi ko nga lang sa kanya, ‘those things you do in college will not work in the PBA.’ Sana naunawaan niya.” Trillo believes that under the nurturing of the Aces management and coaches, Abueva will eventually come around to the ways of the league that he is about to join. “He’s young, newly-married – Calvin will be all right,” guaranteed Trillo. “I’m sure he’ll learn how to relate at how things are in the PBA.” He’d better. After all, there are players – and coaches – in the league who will only be too happy to shut down a fist-waving rookie with a hair-trigger temper. There's also PBA commissioner Chito Salud.