Saints coach impressed with Gilas rookies Abueva, Romeo

MANILA, Philippines -- Gilas Pilipinas newcomers Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo found an instant fan in Wellington Saints playing coach Kevin Brasswell.

The stocky veteran coach said seeing the two play again Saturday night reminds him of himself during his younger days in New Zealand's National Basketball League (NBL).

"One guy I especially love is Calvin. I really love him because he comes in and changes the game a lot," Brasswell told sports scribes, just moments after guiding the Saints to a 101-78 shellacking of Talk 'N Text to clinch the runner-up honors in the Master Game Face-MVP Cup Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The 36-year-old Kiwi veteran playmaker added that people may not necessarily notice the small things Abueva brings to the game, but it's the Gilas forward's hustle plays and scrapping rebounding that infuses energy to Team Phl.

"People don't probably see the little things Calvin does, but his energy and really, for his size, he's a great rebounder who could push the ball a lot also," he added.

As for the 5-foot-11 Romeo, the former Georgetown Hoya guard noted that the GlobalPort young star plays with no fear at all.

"There was a point in the game when he hit two threes and I said to him, 'you remind me of myself when I was younger' because I would take all the big shots in the game when I was young," he said.

"He's (Romeo) fearless. He also changes the game."

Abueva scored all 10 of his points in the final period while Romeo banged in 16 of his 18 markers in the last canto to carry Gilas to a come-from-behind 84-81 victory over the Saints Saturday at the Big Dome.