All eyes will be on Calvin Abueva and Ray Parks as Phoenix and TNT lock horns in the semifinals of the PBA Philippine Cup.

It will be the first time the two stars will meet in the PBA since May last year, back when Parks – then still with Blackwater – claimed Abueva made obscene gestures toward his girlfriend.

The incident had major repercussions for Abueva, who got slapped an indefinite suspension by the PBA that lasted for 16 months.

But as his individual matchup against Parks proves to be an intriguing plot in the semifinals, Abueva simply said it will all come down to which team comes out on top.

“This is not about me or him. This is about the rivalry of the team. I already moved on from that issue,” Abueva told Sports Page in Filipino.

“In this series, the teams battle it out, not the individuals. The team that plays better will win.”

Interestingly, TNT was the last team Abueva faced before his ban as his clothesline hit on import Terrence Jones turned out to be the last straw for the PBA to drop the hammer on the Phoenix ace.

A lot has changed for both teams as Abueva served his suspension.

TNT made several big moves to bolster its lineup, including the acquisition of Parks, who is averaging 20.1 points and 7.9 rebounds this season.

Phoenix, meanwhile, failed to advance to the playoffs in the two conferences that Abueva sat out.

But with Abueva logging in all-around numbers of 12.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.4 steals since his return, Phoenix has emerged as a strong contender for the All-Filipino crown.

“I’ll give my best for my team to reach the finals,” Abueva said. – Rappler.com