CHICAGO - While playing for a brand that aggressively markets male supplements, Calvin Abueva proved on Wednesday night that even at age 37 his game doesn't need any enhancement.
Playing with the familiar fire and passion that has defined his PBA career, the 13-year veteran led league newcomer Titan Ultra to a 100-96 upset of 2024 Philippine Cup champions Meralco Bolts at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
READ Abueva proves he has plenty left in the tank
Abueva's performance was titanic - 41 points on a sizzling 4-of-7 shooting from 3 with seven rebounds and a steal. He also had several floor burns, including one in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter where he dove for the loose ball to preserve the hard-earned victory.
While it's deserving for Titan to celebrate this triumph, it might not be a bad idea to proceed with caution. This team is clearly a continuing work in progress.
The Giant Risers shot only 33-of-86 from the field (38.4 percent) and went a mere 6-for-26 from 3-point territory (23.1 percent). You simply can't build a contender around those percentages.
AND THE GAME MANAGEMENT HAS TO BE BETTER.
Up 90-71 with just over six minutes left to play, Titan surrendered a 20-15 run that made the contest more hairy than it should have been. The Bolts' run was aided by Titan's poor clock management and even poorer shot selection.
Even if he ingests his company's supplements regularly, it would be unrealistic for Abueva to drop a 41-piece every contest and tow his team to the finish line. This means more must come from Joshua Munzon.
The newly-minted Most Improved Player had a performance that suggested more improvement is needed on his shooting. Munzon connected only on 2-of-14 from the field including 0-for-5 from 3.
Calvin is "The Beast" but Munzon is The Man at Titan, the north star that will guide the Giant Risers to, hopefully, many more victories.
Still, Abueva was a delight on Wednesday night, defying time and whoever the Bolts threw at him. This 41-point masterpiece is obvious evidence that the 6-foot-3, 209-lb forward still has a lot left in the tank.
BROWNOUT.
Abueva also proved that Magnolia erred in letting him go last conference in lieu of Will Navarro in a swap that ruined team chemistry and upended what was a promising Philippine Cup campaign for the Hotshots.
Joy is often an underrated, appreciated element in team sports. Calvin has that lovin' feeling right now at Titan and the good vibes are spilling on the hardcourt with positive results.
Meralco, meanwhile, had a power outage. Just 40.2 percent from the field (35-of-87) and 20 percent from 3 (5-of-24). If this is the kind of efficiency they're taking to the EASL, good luck.
But for now, the story is all about Titan Ultra.
Welcome to the PBA, Giant Risers. Keep making noise. Make the league fun again.
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