Calvin Abueva was not supposed to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the second window of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Head coach Chot Reyes dropped Abueva from the pool for missing a few practices at the start of the year. It turned out that he was dealing with some personal problems at that time, but once he got those sorted out, he diligently showed up in the team's subsequent training sessions.
Because of his hard work and determination to get back into the lineup, Abueva earned his second chance. He immediately proved that he was worth the roster spot by injecting his trademark energy and hustle against Australia and Japan.
"It feels great to be back with Gilas. I gave my best as soon as I got back," he said.
The Beast helped Gilas protect its home court and secure an 89-84 victory over the Akatsuki Five on Sunday. He aggressively led the charge in the third quarter where he scored six of his eight points. He also collected three rebounds and two dimes in less than 11 minutes of action.
After the game, Reyes praised Abueva for his efficient play during his time on the floor.
"Not only did he give us energy, he was our most efficient player," Reyes said. "That's the first time in history that Calvin led us in efficiency."
"It was a physical game but we never gave up," the Alaska forward added. "We really fought with all our hearts. It was not an easy game, but we still gave our best so we can win on our home court."
Indeed, Abueva has been giving his best for the national team. Even if he was initially excluded from the pool, he still went out of his way to help with the preparations, which Reyes appreciated.
"Even after he found out that he was dropped, he still came to practice. He understood the situation, he never missed practice," said Reyes. "There's a lot to be said about presence and he was present in every practice so he got the call up."
The Gilas mentor revealed that Abueva cried hard when he found out that he was going to compete for the country again.
"When I told Calvin that he was going to [Australia], he broke down in tears. He broke down because he really wants to be part of this team," the coach shared. "Throughout his personal problems, for him, this is his family. We all treat him as our brother as well, so he played like he really wanted to be here."
After the win against Japan, the Philippines has clinched its ticket to the second round of the qualifiers with a 3-1 record. This does not mean, however, that they will take their next games for granted. Abueva vows that they will still battle their hearts out in the third window.
"We heard that we are through to the second round, but of course we still won't give away our games in the third window against Taiwan and Australia," he assured. "For us, preparing for it should be our focus."
Gilas will face Chinese Taipei in Taiwan on June 29 before the much-awaited rematch with Australia at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on July 2.