Abueva antics won’t throw Manuel off his game: ‘I know him too well’

As former teammates, Vic Manuel and Calvin Abueva have enjoyed a friendship and no amount of roughing up and verbal assault will dampen it.

After playing together with the Aces for the last four years , the two faced each other as enemies in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Manuel’s Alaska took the 108-97 win over Abueva’s Phoenix and the Muscleman had fun competing against his buddy.

“It’s fun playing against him because what he did in the game he was already doing it when we had our practices together in Alaska,” said Manuel in Filipino while laughing.

“It’s nothing new, we’re just playing. There are no hard feelings, we’re just doing our jobs.”

There were several instances when Abueva tried roughing up Manuel, like jostling for position to get the rebound or hustling for the loose ball, but Alaska forward just laughed it off.

Abueva also did some mind games against his former teammate when Manuel went for a high five but the Phoenix forward removed his hand.

“He’s just messing with me, I know him too well and I already know his antics,” said Manuel who had nine points and four rebounds. “I’m just focused on the game and he can’t piss me off that easily.”