MANILA -- Alaska expects to feel Calvin Abueva’s absence when they play the unbeaten TNT Katropa at the PBA Governors’ Cup.

Abueva will be serving a game suspension on Friday after hitting Ginebra’s Chris Ellis with an elbow to the face.

"We play, I think, clearly one of the best teams in the league in Talk 'N Text without one of the best players in the league, so obviously that has an impact on the game," Alaska coach Alex Compton told sports website Spin.

Compton admitted that Abueva’s presence is important, especially in a short conference like this one.

"There’s only 11 games and one game can make a difference. In the twice-to-beat format where one to four gets twice to beat, five to eight has to win twice and 9 to 12 is out, the difference between those categories is frequently minimal, just one game or quotient in a lot of cases," he explained.

READ: Abueva incurs one-game suspension for elbow on Ellis

But Alaska will honor the suspension and Compton even praised Abueva’s reaction to the league's decision.

"I’m proud of [Abueva] in that he’s handling it the right way. Something happened, you did it, they enforce discipline and you accept the punishment, you move on and get better. Be a pro, go forward," he said.

Abueva was suspended and was slapped with a P22,000 fine after being caught throwing an elbow on Ellis' face during their game last Sunday.

Abueva and Ellis tangled for the loose ball with 9:56 to go in the fourth quarter, and Abueva hit Ellis on the face as he was getting up from the ball.

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