ANGELES CITY - Calvin Abueva finally made his much-awaited PBA comeback with Phoenix Super LPG on Monday night.
The 32-year-old forward was fielded in at the 7:32 mark of the first quarter of the Fuel Masters' Philippine Cup game against NLEX at the Angeles University Foundation gym, ending a long 16-month inactivity brought about by an indefinite suspension.
Abueva, reinstated by the Commissioner's Office just a day ago, came in with Phoenix trailing 7-9, in one of the most hotly anticipated player's comebacks in the league since Kiefer Ravena ended his 18-month suspension last year.
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But 10 seconds after entering the court, Abueva committed an offensive foul.
The controversial forward eventually scored his first basket in more than a year with 5:14 to go in the quarter to make it a 9-17 count in favor of NLEX. He finished the first quarter with four points.
The former NCAA MVP finished the first half with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists. His seventh free throw of the half gave the Fuel Masters a 60-58 lead over the Road Warriors at the turn.
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