PBA: Calvin Abueva still prefers 'the beast' over new monicker 'wolverine'

Shortly after entering the game between Alaska and GloalPort, Calvin Abueva aggressively attacked the Batang Pier defense for his first basket of the match.

The Beast drew a foul off Billy Mamaril during the play for a bonus shot, but he stayed glued to the floor after falling hard on his lower back - the same spot that has been hurt twice during his stint with the national team.

In the lull that ensued as the referees called an officials' time out, the Gatas Republic fans began chanting his name. A stretcher was called to the floor, but Abueva willed himself up to hit the free throw.

He drew more cheers from the crowd for his courage, but head coach Alex Compton did not take any chances and immediately pulled him out of the court. Abueva limped back to the bench, and for a while it seemed he would be out of the game for good.

"It always scares me when Calvin goes down," said the Alaska mentor. "But he was able to steal from Professor Xavier the mutant gene for Wolverine, and so he takes hard falls."

Abueva was actually dubbed 'Wolverine' by his Gilas Pilipinas teammates due to his apparent immunity to pain - something they have seen during the team's buildup for the FIBA Asia Championship.

Like the X-men character, he continued to play as if nothing was bothering him despite getting hurt a couple of times. True enough, he went back to the game in the second quarter and still finished with 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists.

Asked what he thought of his 'Wolverine' nickname, Abueva laughed it off and said he still very much prefers the name he was originally known for.

"Hindi ko inaano 'yun, ang inaano ko 'yung The Beast pa rin," he said.

Compton said that part of Abueva's charm to the fans is the way he plays with "reckless abandon", often sacrificing his body for the sake of team.

"He actually gets hurt and sometimes injured and then parang he psyches himself up inside to play through it. And then the next day, magang-maga, may pasa," he said.

The coach said Abueva will feel the pain in the morning, but for The Beast, basketball quite literally never stops and is already looking ahead to Alaska's next game.

"Pagpag lang. Konting therapy lang 'to, mawawala 'to. Ready to fight Tuesday against Star Hotshots," he said. - RAF, GMA News