Abra Makes a Statement in EASL Debut With Character Win Over Hong Kong Eastern
Abra knew its character would be tested the moment it stepped onto the East Asia Super League stage.
The Weavers answered that test with composure, grit and a statement victory.
Making their EASL debut before a good-sized crowd at the newly inaugurated SM Seaside Cebu Arena, Abra held its nerve against Hong Kong Eastern to carve out a hard-earned 79-72 victory and announce that it belongs on the regional stage.
For a team often viewed as the replacement for the usual PBA representatives in the tournament, the Weavers had something to prove—and they played like a squad determined to make the most of its opportunity.
“It’s a character win for us,” said Abra star Dave Ildefonso after the game.
For Ildefonso, the victory was about more than simply opening the EASL campaign with a win. It was about a group of players carrying something to prove stepping up when the pressure was highest.
“If you look at our guys, if you look at our lineup, there’s a bunch of players who just want to prove themselves,” he said.
Ildefonso pointed to the personal journeys of several teammates as part of what fueled Abra's performance.
His own stint in Korea did not go as planned. Jake Figueroa experienced a similar setback, while veteran DJ Fenner continues to show that he can still perform at a high level despite his age.
Mike Eric, meanwhile, is also determined to prove that he remains among the best players of his generation.
“I’m still trying to prove that at my age I am still a high-level player,” Fenner said in Ildefonso’s account of the team's mindset.
That collective hunger translated on the court.
Ildefonso contributed nine points, four rebounds and a block, while Fenner finished with 13 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Eric added 10 points and five rebounds, while Figueroa delivered a crucial three-pointer before his night ended after he was ejected for two technical fouls.
Imports Jaylen Johnson and Freddy Ibrahim led the Weavers with 14 points apiece, providing the offensive punch Abra needed to keep Hong Kong Eastern at bay.
For Ildefonso, however, the numbers only tell part of the story.
The bigger accomplishment was proving that Abra could withstand the pressure of its first international assignment.
“If you look at us, the team we’re really here to prove something to ourselves and to other people,” he said.
“Siguro after this win, siyempre first game pa lang, but it is a step towards the right direction for most of us.”
The Weavers now return their attention to another important mission—the MPBL playoffs, where they are the defending champions.
Their EASL campaign will resume on November 4, when Abra faces the Ryukyu Golden Kings, the Japan B.League runner-up led by Filipino guard Kieffer Ravena.
One game is in the books.
But for Abra, the message from its international debut is already clear:
The Weavers did not come to the EASL simply to fill a slot. They came to prove they belong.
