Pregnant silence as Trillo stays mum on reason behind Abueva's benching

ALASKA coach Luigi Trillo remained mum on the controversy surrounding Calvin Abueva’s benching in the Aces’ all-important PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup match against Globalport on Sunday night.

The 6-foot-1 Abueva failed to play in the game which Alaska lost in overtime, 91-88, due to a sprained ankle, according to the official statement of the team.

However, team insiders bared the franchise benched the power forward out of San Sebastian as a disciplinary action for failing to attend the Aces’ practice last Saturday.

Trillo declined to comment on the matter on Monday, but said he’s hopeful the league won’t slap a suspension on Abueva for his altercation with Meralco guard Jared Dillinger during the two teams’ showdown last week.

The energetic Alaska sophomore has been summoned by the Commissioner’s Office at 1 p.m. on Tuesday to air his side on the altercation with the 6-foot-4 Dillinger after a collision between the two at the cushioned baseline railing early in the fourth quarter of the game won by the Bolts, 74-65.

Meanwhile, Trillo said Alaska’s final game of the eliminations on Sunday against Barako Bull is going to be a test of how the Aces can fight through adversity.

The Aces were pushed to the brink of elimination following their loss to the Batang Pier.

But Trillo reiterated the Aces will not go down without a fight against the Energy, a team that is also coming off a painful 83-90 loss to league-leader Barangay Ginebra Kings also on Sunday.

“I’m not confident right now with my team but then, it’s about showing the guys (Aces) that we still have an opportunity (to make the playoffs). We still have a chance,” Trillo told Spin.ph.

The Alaska mentor has given the team two days off to enable his physically and emotionally battered team the recover and recharge ahead of rhe do-or-die battle.

“It’s tough. Six game out of the nine, we were in control and it could have gone either way,” Trillo said, referring to the tight games the Aces have failed to close out in the season-opening conference.

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