CALVIN Abueva was in beast mode again on Friday night, torching his former team Alaska with a double-double in a 94-80 Phoenix win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Abueva finished with a team-high 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the Fuel Masters’ seventh win in eight outings that assured a quarterfinal appearance for the second successive conference.
And to think less than 24 hours he was downed by food poisoning after consuming a number of oysters.
“Sa kinain kong talaba, kaya medyo naging maselan. Mabuti nga hindi sumumpong,” he said. “Grabe yung tiyan ko hanggang kaninang umaga.”
But his condition didn’t require him to be confined in the hospital.
“Ngayon puro pang-hydrate lang para maka-recover bukas,” Abueva said.
No way will Abueva miss this game against the Aces, who the Fuel Masters beat for the first time since he was traded by Alaska to the same franchise last year.
But going up against his ex-team was not an added motivation for him, Abueva swore.
“Always naman akong ganado, kahit kanina. Ang sa akin lang, I just do my work,” said the former NCAA MVP out of San Sebastian.
The win not only assured Phoenix of a berth in the quarterfinals but also tied it with Rain or Shine for the lead, giving it a shot at twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs.
Abueva said the victory couldn’t have come at a better time since the Fuel Masters will next be facing three of the top contenders in the conference in Barangay Ginebra, Magnolia, and defending champion San Miguel.
“Tatlong malalakas na teams, hindi ka puwedeng mag-relax,” he said. “Kailangan namin itong panalo na ito. Sa tatlo, kahit maka-dalawa kami para spot No. 2 or No. 1.”
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