MANUEL PUMPED TO TEAM UP ANEW WITH ROMEO, SLAUGHTER

VIC Manuel savors the rare chance of playing again with former PBA teammates under one team - though this time, in a different environment.

Suiting up anew for Zamboanga Valientes, the veteran power forward is reunited with Terrence Romeo, Nick Demusis, and Barkley Ebona, as they play together in the Dubai International Basketball Championship that kicks off on Friday.

The Valientes left for Dubai on Thursday afternoon.

Manuel said it’s a blessing to be playing once more alongside the three players, especially Romeo with whom he won a championship at San Miguel.

"Masaya, kahit paano nagkasama-sama kami dito sa Zamboanga, 'di ba?! Nag-i-enjoy lang kami sa paglalaro ng basketball. Tamang kuwentuhan lang," the 38-year-old native of Licab, Nueva Ecija said.

Of the three, Romeo was his last teammate in the PBA, as the pair was traded by the Beermen to Terrafirma for the duo of Juami Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig.

Demusis and Manuel previously played together at Phoenix, while Ebona was one of his frontcourt partners while they were still at Alaska.

Another Valientes recruit in Greg Slaughter was also a teammate of Manuel with the Gilas Pilipinas side that won the gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

And though they didn’t get to be under one team in Asia’s pioneering pro league, both Slaughter and Manuel have developed a close bond that the ‘Muscle Man’ referred to the former Ateneo center as his ‘partner.’

Sama-sama sa Zamboanga

The two-time PBA champion disclosed he and Romeo were actually recruited by Zamboanga when it first campaigned in the same tournament in Dubai last year, while the two were still with the Dyip.

"Last Dubai din, tinawagan nila (Valientes) ako, dapat kami ni Terrence din," he recalled. "Kaso may kontrata pa ako sa Terrafirma. Nag-try akong magpaalam, kaso hindi nila ako pinayagan.

"Pero tapos na nun yung conference (Commissioner’s Cup). Isang buwan na lang yung kontrata ko sa kanila, Pero yun nga, 'di ako pinayagan. Tinapos ko na lang din yung kontrata para wala rin silang masabi."

When he didn’t get a contract renewal with Terrafirma, Manuel hooked up with the Valientes and suited up in the Governor Hofer Invitational Basketball Championship in Zamboanga Sibugay where they emerged champions.

Following the stint, Manuel was already told by Valientes owner Junnie Navarro about playing for the team in this year’s Dubai tournament.

"Last year pa, sinabihan na ako na, 'O next year (2026), laro ka na," he added. "Well, masaya namang maglaro kay boss Junnie. Sobrang alaga nila dito ang mga players. Turing nila, parang pamilya na rin."

Manuel comes in for Zamboanga in tip-top shape, as he’s fresh from a short stint with Converge in the PBA Season 50-opening Philippine Cup.

The one-month contract he signed with the FiberXers recently expired shortly after the team’s heartbreaking exit in the playoffs no thanks to a 99-98 overtime loss to Barangay Ginebra.

"Hindi lang naging maganda yung last stint ko. Na-out kami nang maaga," said Manuel, who nonetheless sees a bright future for the Converge franchise.

"Pero habang tumatagal, matututo yung team. Magma-matured yan. Malakas naman yung team."

But for now, it’s all business for Manuel at Zamboanga.

2026-01-22T10:15:11Z