CALVIN Abueva’s period of adjustment with his new team is going smoothly and none could be happier than Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.
“He’s doing okay. ‘Yung progression niya mabilis,” Victolero said of Abueva, easily the brightest star among the four newcomers to the Hotshots along with rookies Jerrick Ahanmisi, RR de Leon and Loren Brill.
“Okay naman sila lahat,” said Victolero. “Siyempre, bago sila so adjustment, kailangan malaman nila sistema, rules, role nila sa team.”
Easily, however, Abueva has a leg up over the other new Hotshots.
“Si Calvin naman beterano na kaya madaling maka-adjust iyan,” noted Victolero. “Iyung basketball instincts niya ‘yun ang advantage niya. Kaya kahit ngayon lang niya nakasama alam niya paano bumagay. Kasi basketball iyan.”
The 2013 Rookie of the Year was acquired in a trade with Phoenix last February and is now expected to fill up the void created when Marc Pingris retired last month.
“I think Ping (Pingris) also talked to Calvin,” said Victolero. “So I think alam na niya kung ano ipinunta niya dito sa Magnolia.”
Abueva’s basketball savvy clearly impresses Victolero the most. “Alam niya kung paano laruin basketball,” he said.
“Of course, nandoon pa siya sa period na knowing his teammates better, kung paano siya magiging more effective as a teammate,” added Victolero.
The PBA expects to kick off the season by early next month and Victolero expects his team to be at least 90 percent gelled by then.
“Iyung chemistry, di naman overnight. The next two weeks crucial for us, para magkakilanlan ‘yung mga bago. I think ma-i-improve na ng ma-i-improve chemistry namin,” said Victolero.
There are some things that haven’t changed with Abueva, but Victolero isn’t concerned with those.
“Laging nakatawa, pero pag nakita mong maglaro talagang buhos din,” related Victolero.
“He adds more energy sa practice. Parang intensity sa aming ensayo tumataas.”