The Final Score: The debate between Calvin Abueva and June Mar Fajardo

They are equals but only in a metaphysical way. One is undersized. The other is over-sized. One is perceived as loud. The other is generally quiet. Yet despite all the differences between Alaska rookie Calvin Abueva and Petron Blaze rookie June Mar Fajardo, the two are competing for the Rookie of the Year award. Hence, there is a compelling need to place them side-by-side.

Abueva is a tiger stuck inside a porcelain shop. Any slight movement, surely may impact agad. His strongest impact is on viewers. If you watch the PBA, it doesn’t matter if you root for Alaska or if you were born to cheer for another team, you probably have strong opinions about Abueva. You either love his moxie or hate his guts. Apparently, these are the only choices. Ambivalence is not an option.

Fajardo, on the other hand, is like an Incredible Hulk who doesn’t get mad enough. Yung tipong kailangan niya ng anger management, not to suppress his anger, but to actually increase it by several notches. His strongest impact is on defenders, the poor guys. While Petron fans are hoping Fajardo develops a nightly aggression, the noble men tasked to push Fajardo away from the post are praying it never happens.

Who is your PBA Rookie of the Year?

Abueva is the six-footer who rebounds like a seven-footer.

Fajardo is the seven-footer who sidesteps like a six-footer.

Who would you choose?

Would you choose the rookie who gave Alaska that razor’s edge? On some nights, he drifts in and out of the game, hampered by foul trouble or hindered by his very own tomahawk mentality. On other nights, he collects an impressive number of points, rebounds, steals, blocks, dagger looks and hard fouls in less than 48 minutes. He is a double-double machine. His productivity is as tangible as a sledgehammer to the nose.

A sample stat-line for Abueva: 18 points, 6/8 FG, 2/2 three-pointers, 11 rebounds, five assists and one block against Ginebra last September. He did all of that in just 29 minutes.

Or...

Would you choose the rookie who could obliterate our notions of how 6’11” players should play? In some games, he remains tentative. It drives us nuts. It pushes us to comment “isubo mo na sa ring” or “dunk mo na” or “gamitin mo laki mo” or something else along those lines. On other nights, he leaves us speechless while he completes double-double games and glides on the floor in ways we couldn’t have imagined.

A sample stat-line for Fajardo: 26 points, 14 total rebounds and nine offensive rebounds against Rain or Shine last October 2. He did that against Extra Rice Inc.

Will Alaska’s earlier than expected exit from the Governors’ Cup hamper Abueva’s chances? Will Petron’s rise to dominance in the third conference help Fajardo?

Abueva won a championship. Fajardo is in a position to win one too.

What matters more: how a rookie starts the season or how a rookie ends the year?

I don’t mean to post these numbers so we can compare them directly. These numbers shouldn’t summarize their performance for the entire season. My only intention is to illustrate their capabilities as rookies. And both Calvin and June Mar, in the long run, are capable of achieving a lot.

It’s impossible to ignore Abueva’s imprint on his team and the league. He is, therefore, my Rookie of the Year. It’s also impossible to miss what Fajardo has done since he returned from the FIBA-Asia Championships. He is, therefore, a possible MVP in the future.

Yet I have a feeling this debate between Abueva and Fajardo won’t end. Because for years, they’ll be as similar as they are different.

They’re similar because, in all likelihood, they’ll be competing for the top awards next season.

They’re different because…

Well…

Nung si June Mar nagpa-blonde, people thought it was cool.

‘Pag si Calvin nagpa-blonde, I think Twitter will experience a nuclear meltdown.  - AMD, GMA News