Abueva stars as 4 PH squads enter quarters of FIBA 3×3 World Tour

MANILA, Philippines – Give Calvin Abueva credit: the Alaska ace surely knows how to make a grand entrance in the International Basketball (FIBA) 3X3 World Tour Manila Masters. 

With the game nearly halfway over, his team one man down and barely holding on, Abueva made  the most of his belated appearance and lifted Manila North to a rousing 21-11 win over Xinzhuang of Chinese-Taipei on Saturday, July 19, at the start of the tournament at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. 

Without any warm-up, the 6-foot-2 power forward teamed up with Jake Pascual against the Taiwanese and went to beast mode right away, scoring 10 of his team’s last 12 points in anchoring the Manila North cagers to their first win in Pool C. 

But they dropped their second match against Auckland of New Zealand, 11-16, avoiding a quarterfinal clash with another local squad, Manila West, while drawing Pool B topnotcher Doha of Qatar in the knockout round-of-8 on Sunday, June 20.

The Qataris, who are the reigning World FIBA 3×3 champions, topped Kobe of Japan, 17-7, before  holding off Manila West, 21-7, in a physical contest that saw the disqualification of 6-foot-8 Mohammed Mohammed, who was slapped a double foul and a technical for shoving Terrence Romeo near the basket. 

Bannered by KJ Canaleta, Terrence Romeo, Aldrech Ramos and Rey Guevarra, the Manila West basketballers split their matches in the pool after prevailing over Kobe of Japan, 21-9, in their opening match.    

They will face the Kiwis, who swept Pool C, including a 20-13 whipping of the Taiwanese, in the event organized by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and serving as the Asia-Pacific eliminations of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour finals slated Oct.  11-12 in Tokyo, Japan. 

It was a big day for all Philippine squads with Manila East and Manila South also making it to the quarters of the event backed by Samsung and Nike. 

Manila East, featuring national 3×3 champion Naga City, battles Jakarta of Indonesia, which ruled Pool A, while Manila South takes on Surabaya in the other quarterfinal game.  

Abueva later explained his reason for arriving late, disclosing his wife Sam was in labor with their fourth straight child at a nearby hospital.

“Her water broke past midnight so I had to take her early to the hospital. I also got caught up in traffic,” said Abueva, who left his car in front of the mall entrance and rushed to the venue so he could make the game. 

He came not a moment too soon as Manila North was reduced to one player left on the floor after Abueva’s Alaska teammate Vic Manuel was sidelined after being hit in the face by a driving Yen-Tung Shih and had blood pouring under his right eyelid from the collision. 

At that point they were already without Ian Sangalang, who led Manila North early but sprained his left ankle with 4:31 into the match, leaving only Manuel and Pascual to battle the Taiwanese trio with Abueva apparently a no-show and nursing a slim 6-5 lead.

To the cheers of the gallery, he, however, came scrambling to the court in his jersey with 5:41 remaining and then joined Pascual to carry the fight for the team while medics attended to Manuel’s wound.    

Living up to his moniker “The Beast,” Abueva proved more than a match for his opponents, putting on a dazzling one-man show highlighted by four points beyond the arc before closing out the match on a drive with barely a minute left on the game clock.

“Alam ko medyo mahina ang kalaban at buti na lang naabutan ko pa yong laro,” said Abueva, who intended to name his fourth son Lamarcus after Portland star Lamarcus Aldridge.

(I knew our opponent was a bit weak and I’m just grateful I still managed to reach the game).

“Sam may still be waiting for me to finish before she finally gives birth,” he still managed to quip after the match. – Rappler.com