Two Good Conferences Not Enough for Calvin Abueva to Win MVP

Monday, September 30, 2013

Two Good Conferences Not Enough for Calvin Abueva to Win MVP

Point laureate Ronnie Magsanoc may have proven a point that will secure his bosom buddy’s distinct place in PBA history.

Magsanoc said that for top rookie and MVP candidate Calvin Abueva to have a shot at basketball immortality, it is imperative for his Alaska Aces to achieve a strong finish in the ongoing PBA Governors’ Cup.

“After what he showed nung nakaraang mga conferences, I think he had a fair chance. But you don’t end the season with two conferences,” Magsanoc told Solar Sports Desk.

Just last week, Abueva and the Aces bowed out of the current conference after losing to the San Mig Coffee Mixers in their quarterfinal battle.

The early ouster may hurt Abueva’s chances of winning the coveted Rookie/MVP plum which has been won by only one player, Benjie Paras.

Magsanoc and Paras formed a fearsome tandem under the now defunct Shell Turbochargers. Paras won the distinct accolade in 1989, the year the Ramon Fernandez-led San Miguel Beer won a grandslam.

“Benjie was very dominant. Si Calvin, yung angat naman kasi niya sa statistical points was because they were winning and they won the championship,” said Magsanoc.

For a while, Abueva led all players in statistical points that include Petron’s Arwind Santos, Talk ‘N Text guard Jayson Castro, Global Port’s Sol Mercado and Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa as among the top five MVP contenders.

But Alaska’s slide gave Santos as well as Barangay Ginebra’s LA Tenorio the needed push to overcome Abueva in the SP standings.

At the moment, Santos ranks first with 30.66 points followed by Tenorio’s 28.11. Abueva fell to third with 28.10 while Mercado (27.29) and Caguioa (26.94) are at fourth and fifth, respectively.