Romeo, Abueva filling in Gilas’ missing pieces
With Romeo and Abueva joining coach Tab Baldwin’s final 12, Gilas Pilipinas now has the present and future playing for the national team. His dozen delights are ready to roll in quest of an Olympic berth.
Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva are two of the few newcomers playing for national basketball team Gilas Pilipinas that will compete in the FIBA Asia Championship.
They’re the new kids on the block as far as the national team program is concerned, but despite these, the two players had already shown their value and proved to everyone they are worthy members of the Gilas Pilipinas.
Romeo, the talented guard from GlobalPort and the PBA’s Most Improved Player last season, has emerged as Gilas’ most consistent scorer during the recently concluded William Jones Cup tournament.
The 5- foot-11 guard, however, did miss the game against the Wellington Saints from New Zealand during the Jones Cup tournament, but got some redemption of sorts when he played the hero’s role in the pocket tourney MVP Cup against the Saints beefed up by American reinforcements, including former PBA imports Jameel Watkins.
Romeo drilled in 14 of his 18 points in the fourth period. He had four treys in the last quarter to help Gilas in wiping out a 13-point deficit and winning, 84-81. With still a game to be played against Chinese Taipei, Gilas is already the sure winner in the MVP Cup with a 2-0 record as of press time. Abueva, known to many basketball fans as “The Beast”, was on his sprightly mode every game.
He brings a lot of energy on the floor, something which the national squad needs. Standing 6-foot-2, Abueva’s ability to play multiple positions and the infectious intensity he displays inside the court injects life and confidence to the other members on the floor for Gilas.
Abueva’s effectiveness may not reflect on the stats sheet. Hustle, intensity, energy and aggressiveness were not included the stats sheet, but these essential things were the ones being brought by the hardworking Alaska forward.
Having players like Romeo and Abueva on the national squad means Gilas Pilipinas had addressed the missing pieces lacking the past two seasons. These two are the baddest ever produced by Gilas Pilipinas — and for good measure.
They’re fresh, they’re animated and they play their roles to perfection. They’re a good complement to the holdovers like Pingris, Jayson Castro, Ranidel De Ocampo, Gabe Norwood and Andray Blatche as well as to the other members of the squad — veterans and comebacking national team players Asi Taulava, Sonny Thoss and Dondon Hontiveros and other new inclusions in the program like JC Intal and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser.
Once regarded as the most consistent local scorer in the Gilas squad, Castro has even started to defer on Romeo as far as scoring is concerned. The veteran guard instead started to play the role vacated by former team captain Jimmy Alapag as the leader on the floor.
For Pingris, having someone like Abueva means additional energy inside the court. He has found a frontcourt partner with the same mentality. These two players have nothing in mind except injecting life to the brand of play of Gilas Pilipinas.
With Romeo and Abueva joining coach Tab Baldwin’s final 12, Gilas Pilipinas now has the present and future playing for the national team. His dozen delights are ready to roll in quest of an Olympic berth.