FEW players can dominate games in such a competitive league as the Philippine Basketball Association.
June Mar Fajardo relies on his size, strength and skill to impose his will inside the paint. Terrence Romeo is a whirling dervish while dribbling the ball and can drill the shot from any distance. Then there’s Calvin Abueva who can dominate games on sheer all around hustle.
After missing Alaska’s first two games Abueva marked his return to action with a dominant game to virtually tow the Alaska Aces to a rousing 95-84 victory over the GlobalPort Batang Pier last Wednesday, December 7.
Abueva displayed game-long brilliance but was explosive in the fourth period when he unloaded 14 points to lead Alaska to its first win in three games.
GlobalPort threatened to put the game away early in the fourth after JR Quiñahan scored on a layup as Alaska fell behind by eight points, 67-75, with just a little over six minutes left to play.
Abueva then scored 10 consecutive points against a triple by Quiñahan to carry Alaska back into the contest.
Abueva grabbed the loose ball at the top of the free throw circle, drove strong to the hoop and banked the ball off the backboard and into the net as Alaska trailed, 69-75.
Quiñahan countered with a three-pointer. Abueva dribbled into the paint then nailed a fadeaway jumpshot over Quiñahan as Alaska crept in closer, 71-78.
Abueva received the ball at the top of free throw circle, squared himself then banked in a three-pointer to push Alaska closer to GlobalPort, 74-78.
Abueva dribbled into the paint, went out again and rifled the ball to Jvee Casio who passed up the shot to return the ball to Abueva. Abueva dribbled the ball once, stepped behind the three point line, turned around and then drilled the triple from the left corner baseline, 77-78.
Jvee Casio then drained a shot from close to the basket to finally take the lead for the Aces, 79-78. Carl Bryan Cruz added a free throw to extend the Alaska lead, 80-78.
Abueva and the Aces then virtually sealed the outcome of the match with 7-1 blast capped by a steal at midcourt and fastbreak layup by Abueva to push Alaska beyond recall, 87-79, with a little over two minutes left to play.
Abueva finished with a double-double. He scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to go with one assist to win Bida Player of the game honors.
With the victory the Aces (one win, two losses) climbed into a tie at 9th to 11th place with the Star Hotshots (1-2) and the NLEX Road Warriors (1-2) ahead of the Mahindra Floodbuster (0-3).
Erstwhile league-leader GlobalPort (2-1) dropped to a tie at first to sixth spot with the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters (2-1), TNT KaTropa (2-1), the San Miguel Beermen (2-1), the Blackwater Elite (2-1) and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (2-1).
The other teams include Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (1-1) and the Meralco Bolts (1-1).
The poor record is far from indicative of the caliber of the Aces who came within a game of ruling the PBA Philippine Cup last season.
Abueva and starting center Sonny Thoss missed their first game won in overtime by the Road Warriors.
The Aces missed six players (Abueva, Thoss, Noy Baclao, Rome Dela Rosa, Vic Manuel and Ping Exciminiano) in a narrow loss to the defending champion Beermen in their second game.
Before the match against the Batang Pier Alaska had not won a single game while GlobalPort was unbeaten.
Of course it wouldn’t be an Alaska game if the Aces didn’t have to overhaul a big lead to post the come-from-behind win. Alaska trailed by 16 big points, 47-63, late in the third period after a jumper by Stanley Pringle at the 3:15 mark of the third.
The Aces came charging back and finally caught up with GlobalPort early in the fourth quarter. RJ Jazul drained a triple to tie the count at 67-all with 9:54 left to play. GlobalPort then rattled home eight consecutive points to forge ahead.
It turned out to be GlobalPort’s last gasp as Abueva’s explosion towed the Aces to victory.