Not to sound like a broken record, but Calvin Abueva was the biggest reason the Titan Ultra Giant Risers are 1-0 in the PBA after beating the Meralco Bolts in a dream debut. Abueva, no pun intended, rose to the occasion, dishing out a superlative 41-point effort that he topped with 7 rebounds and numerous big plays, a sprinkling of his trademark hustle, and undeniable intensity. In other words, The Beast was truly unleashed, and it took comebacking coach Johnedel Cardel to do that.
But the question is, how did Cardel, who rarely showed brilliance manning the sidelines for the woebegone Terrafirma Dyip, unleash The Beast and turn him into something better than Prime Calvin? Let’s count the ways:
Cardel Trusted The Beast
This might sound reductive, but trusting a player goes a long way, especially in uplifting confidence. Abueva himself pointed this out, telling reporters after the game how he pushed hard to make sure he rewarded the trust given to him by Cardel, the Titan Ultra management, and his teammates.
Cardel Let Abueva Play Free
Throughout his first 13 years in the league, Abueva was primarily used as an undersized 4 who brings energy, hustle, and relentless rebounding. Offensively, most of his points came either as a finisher or from loose balls and offensive boards. But Abueva is so much more than that. He’s also a playmaker who can make plays for himself and his teammates, whether from the post or off the dribble.
In fact, in college, The Beast put up 20.4 points, 14.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in two seasons with the San Sebastian Stags—numbers that unequivocally prove there’s more to Abueva than his nonstop motor and intense rebounding. Cardel, at least for one game, allowed his 37-year-old veteran to show the breadth of his skill set, and it worked.
Small wonder the veteran told reporters after the game, “Parang nabalik ‘yung college days ko.”
Cardel Put Abueva on the Post
Abueva, at 6-foot-3, is about the usual height for small forwards in the PBA. But he’s no doubt stronger and more versed in post play than most wings in the league right now. Cardel put that to good use against the Meralco Bolts, setting up Abueva on the post and allowing him to go to work.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, The Beast feasted in the paint, manhandling CJ Cansino, Bong Quinto, and even Cliff Hodge for the most part. Abueva either finished outright or got to the line, where he went 9-for-10. And when the Bolts doubled or collapsed, the Pampanga native kicked the ball out either for a post reset or for other Giant Risers to make plays against a scrambling Meralco defense.
Cardel Simplified Things
In the same postgame presser, Cardel admitted he saw Abueva as Titan Ultra’s most favorable matchup offensively. So, he gave his veteran forward the keys, so to speak, but also made things simple: attack when it’s there, pass when it’s not.
This calculus worked to perfection, largely because Abueva once upon a time was doing the very same thing for San Sebastian in the NCAA back in the early 2010s. It took 15 years, but a coach in Cardel finally asked Abueva to be The Beast he once was.
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Now, to be fair, Calvin Abueva won’t be scoring over 30 points routinely. But if Cardel continues to trust him and give him a chance, there’s a strong likelihood that The Beast will be beastly for most of PBA Season 50, with numbers that would be closer to his collegiate days than his career norms of 12.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.
