Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Filipino basketball fans have been enamored with young guns Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo for their exploits with Gilas Pilipinas in the ongoing FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha, China.
At 27 and 23, respectively, Abueva and Romeo have both proven to be a bright sign for the future of Gilas, which is the oldest team now in the biennial meet with an average age of 31 years old.
Abueva, despised by most of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) fans because of his style of play for the Alaska Aces, has turned his critics into believers with the dedication and the courage he has displayed so far with Gilas.
Sports podcast host Chuck Araneta said in an interview on CNN Philippines’ Sports Desk on Tuesday (September 29) that Gilas supporters now look forward to seeing Abueva on the court
“Kapag pumapasok sila ni Terrence Romeo, you can feel the surge of excitement, the surge of intensity,” Araneta said.
Araneta believes that Abueva’s acceptance of his role of providing an enviable amount of energy off the bench is what gives him success in his Gilas stint.
In terms of actual production, “The Beast” has averaged 9.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 17.6 minutes in FIBA Asia Championship action.
Aside from Abueva, Romeo’s swashbuckling play has also captured a wider audience.
And the former King Tamaraw’s offensive repertoire didn’t come as a surprise for Far Eastern University athletic director Mark Molina.
Molina believes that Romeo’s exceptional work ethic and competitiveness have given him the confidence to do all the things he has been doing on the international stage.
“The things that he does on court, the dribbling ability, the shooting, all those tough shots, he practices those things,” said Molina.
He added that Romeo’s best role is as a scorer, a role he has thrived in within the national team setup.
In the FIBA Asia Championship, Romeo has posted averages of 14.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.5 steals in 21 minutes, while making 43.7% of his shots from the three-point area.
Abueva and Romeo, together with the whole Gilas Pilipinas squad, will gun for a Final Four berth in the FIBA Asia Championship against Lebanon tonight (October 1) at 9:30 p.m.
