'HARD LOSER' TITING MANALILI GLAD TO FINALLY GET BREAKTHROUGH WIN

TITING Manalili will be the first to admit that he doesn’t take losing particularly well. 

In his decorated two-year career with the Letran Squires in Seasons 98 and 99, the Cebuano guard only lost a total of four times with both campaigns resulting in two titles for him and coach Allen Ricardo in the NCAA juniors division. 

So imagine how he feels after losing the first three games in his collegiate career after that terrible start from the fancied Letran Knights in the NCAA Season 101. 

READ: Letran finally shows up in NCAA Season 101 after outlasting EAC

"Samin sa team, kinakausap ko sila. Nung Juniors ako, matalo man ako, isa o dalawang beses lang. Hard loser ako e, sana makuha nila yung attitude na yun," Manalili said. 

"Pinaguusapan namin yan gabi-gabi. Nakakapagod matalo. Hindi na namin alam ang feeling na manalo. Sinabihan ko lang sila na sana makuha na natin at makakuha na tayo ng kumpyansa," he added. 

Wish granted for Manalili after the Knights finally got over the hump after an 84-80 win over the EAC Generals to close out their initial run in Group B on a positive note after a horror start. 

Manalili continued to stuff the stat sheet with 12 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and four steals but this time he got plenty of help from his squad. 

Deo Cuajao rediscovered his touch to fire a game high 23 points on 6-of-12 shooting, Kevin Santos finished with 15 while Aaron Buensalida also notched a double-double of 12 points and 11 boards. 

After carrying the team on his young shoulders in the first three games, Manalili is happy that his teammates have finally gotten over the hump. 

"Happy ako para sa kanila kasi nga yung past games talaga, siguro hindi lang nila nalalabas yung laro nila kasi nga nagkakasakit, halos lahat kami lahat nagkakasakit, may health issues kami," he said. 

"Sabi ko nga, siguro naman itong game na to, game sa MoA against EAC, okay na kami. Sana mabigyan namin ng [chance] ang sarili namin makabangon ulit kasi ang alat talaga sobra nung three games namin, ako lang pumupuntos, nagsstep up na ako kasi nga wala si Jimboy, wala si Roque, si Deo may health issues." 

For the season, Manalili is putting up numbers across the board, averaging 14.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.7 steals in four games this tournament – proving that he’s pulling his weight despite the struggles of this Letran side. 

But those numbers are just that – numbers.

It will only matter for Manalili if it can translate to wins – something they achieved in that game against EAC. 

"Stats naman is stats lang din naman yan. Ang sakin, di ko focus yan ang focus ko ay manalo. Kung anong gagawin ko para maipanalo yung team nag-focus ako doon," Manalili said. 

"Thankful ako, lalo na sa assists kasi nabibigyan ko yung mga kakampi ko. Dun naman ako nakafocus palagi gagawin ko parin yun sa next game at sana mahigitan ko pa," he added. 

"On to the next game, sana magtuloy tuloy na ang panalo."

2025-10-12T08:15:07Z