Photo from Fiba.com
CHANGSHA CITY, China – Some members of the Philippine Basketball Association’s board of governors started arriving here on Tuesday and none of them was more proud than Alaska’s Dickie Bachmann.
“We at Alaska are just very happy at the contributions our players are giving Gilas Pilipinas,” Bachmann told the Inquirer shortly after checking in at Ramada Plaza, also the official hotel of the media which is about 15 minutes from Changsha Social Work College Gym.
READ: Gilas brotherhood deepens after Kuwait scuffle in Fiba Asia
“It’s really an honor for the company and the values we represent.”
Gilas skipper Dondon Hontiveros, center Sonny Thoss and the Filipinos’ bundle of energy, Calvin Abueva, are Aces in the National team, which on Monday afternoon titled the balance of power in the Fiba Asia Olympic Qualifier after drubbing defending champion Iran, 87-73.
READ: Gilas Pilipinas dumps India, sweeps Fiba Asia 2nd round
Abueva, as with any team he has been with ever since breaking into national prominence in college at San Sebastian in the NCAA, has been this team’s spark on both ends and has become the only player of his type in the tournament.
“Even the office (back in Manila) has been crazy about the entire Gilas team and what it has done here,” Bachmann, who arrived together with team owner Wilfred Uytengsu’s son Sean, said.
Uytengsu’s wife, Kerrie, a familiar fixture in Alaska games in the PBA, is also thinking of coming over together with Wilfred, who, according to Bachmann, is trying to clear his schedule for the KO matches later this week.
Abueva has been playing his heart out as a National team first timer, and has been in the raw end of several physical plays that have seen him crash hard. He was even hit by a hard hack by 7-foot-2 Iranian Hamed Haddadi.
As usual, “The Beast” has just shrugged those off and has one major complain.
“Walang masakit sa akin (I don’t feel any pain in my body),” Abueva said. “Nagsasawa lang ako sa pagkain. Yun ang problema ko (I’m just sick of the food – that’s my only problem).”