EVEN in his absence, Calvin Abueva still continues to give Magnolia the needed energy.
Coach Chito Victolero admitted the early exit of the veteran forward due to injury only fired up the Hotshots on their way to a 118-100 rout of Blackwater in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup debut on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The 36-year-old Abueva left the game with 7:38 to go in the second quarter following an accidental elbow by Blackwater rookie Sedric Barefield during a Magnolia offensive play.
READ Abueva taken to hospital after inadvertent Barefield elbow
He was taken out of the venue on a stretcher with a brace on his neck on the way to the Manila Doctors hospital.
The departure of Magnolia’s energizer further motivated the team to win the game for Abueva.
“We used that para yung energy namin lalong tumaas,” said Victolero in the post-game presser. “Sabi ko lang sa kanila, let’s play for Calvin. And I think nag-respond naman yung mga boys.”
Abueva only played a total of five minutes and had two points and three rebounds before being knocked down by the inadvertent Barefield elbow.
“Hopefully, madi-discharge na siya. Parang whiplash lang, so medyo nag-tight lang siya. But he’s OK,” said the Magnolia coach.
The Hotshots will play their next game on Sunday against Converge, by which time Abueva could already be back in action for the team.
“Hopefully, by our next game on Sunday, makalaro na rin si Calvin. He’s also a big factor for us,” said Victolero.
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