MANILA, Philippines – Phoenix head coach Louie Alas is preaching patience to Calvin Abueva's family as they wait for the PBA to lift the embattled forward's indefinite suspension from the league.
A series of on-court incidents, capped by a run-in with the girlfriend of then-Blackwater rookie Ray Parks, compelled PBA commissioner Willie Marcial to slap Abueva with a hefty fine and a ban from the league in June 2019.
The player's troubled domestic life came to light a month later, when his wife, Sam, accused him of abuse. The couple would later reconcile, and Sam came to her husband's defense on social media recently as she questioned why he remains suspended despite complying with Marcial's requirements.
Marcial told reporters during the PBA's Media Day last week that while Abueva has completed the first phase of his requirements, but still has another phase that he has to do.
Alas cannot blame Abueva's wife for her questions.
"Nagiging impatient na," he noted. "Siguro, kailangan lang kausapin ulit, kasi for the longest time naging pasensyoso naman kami eh."
"Ito, I can't tell kung kailan siya makakabalik," Alas added. "Pero at least, nakikita mo na 'yung ilaw sa kabilang tunnel. 'Yung proseso, isa na lang 'yung kailangan naming gawin."
"So more patience pa, kasi talagang kailangan naming gawin 'yun. 'Yun 'yung pinapaliwanag namin kay Calvin. We just need to explain it to his wife."
Marcial has said that he is satisfied with how Abueva complied with the tasks he needed to do, and Alas also said that the player has shown that he is becoming more mature.
The coach saw this when Abueva opened a small restaurant to help augment their family's income while he is suspended.
"Noong nakita niyang medyo nahihirapan siya financially, nagtayo siya nung maliit na restaurant. At isa talaga siya sa personnel na gumagawa," Alas noted. "So alam niya na may mga responsibility siya."
"The mere fact na naisip niya 'yung responsibilidad niya, okay na sa akin 'yun," he added. "Dalhin na lang niya sa court."
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