BEAST TITAN
ANTIPOLO—Calvin Abueva pounded the center court of Ynares Center on Wednesday before raising his finger up in the sky after a performance that propelled Titan Ultra to a winning start to its PBA voyage.
Beyond giving the league’s newest ballclub a 100-96 victory over the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Cup here, Abueva also showed there’s still more left in the tank for the energetic and colorful veteran known as “The Beast.”
“I still have more to give,” Abueva said after finishing with a career-high 41 points plus seven rebounds for the Giant Risers.
Abueva is coming off a season in which his time with the Magnolia Hotshots came to an end via a trade that sent him to NorthPort Batang Pier for the younger William Navarro, who eventually took his act to South Korea.
NorthPort eventually sold its franchise to Titan, and as the transition began, Abueva found himself as one of the leaders of a roster teeming with new players, young and old, and eager to start the Giant Risers off on the right foot.
“We really pushed ourselves in this game, especially myself,” said the 37-year-old forward. “I really need to push myself, especially being with younger players. It turned out I put more effort than those guys.”
Struggling start
It looked as if Abueva revived his good old days in college when his energy, hustle and mind games brought San Sebastian to the 2009 NCAA title, while also opening the door for his entry to the PBA.
Titan Ultra won despite a flat start to its league debut, missing its first eight shots, including some easy ones, that enabled Meralco to race to an 11-0 lead in the first five minutes.
But the Giant Risers were able to shake off their eagerness, eventually keeping the game close before Abueva’s 16 in the third allowed the new kids on the block to break loose.
“We took advantage of Calvin,” said Titan Ultra coach Johnedel Cardel, also a winner in his PBA return after a long stint handling Terrafirma came to an end last year. “We all know how strong he is and how he plays with a lot of heart. That’s why he’s ‘The Beast.’”
Joshua Munzon, coming off a season in which he claimed Most Improved Player honors and made the All-Defensive Team, added 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks for the Giant Risers.
Cade Flores and Fran Yu were also instrumental for Titan Ultra, which now set its sights on win No. 2 against a talented Converge side on Saturday in Montalban.
CJ Cansino scored 22, but Meralco fell short in its comeback from 19 down during the tail end of the fourth.
