By: Miguel Caramoan
Already battle-tested from his decorated stint with the Letran Squires, Jonathan Manalili has never shied away from big moments.
But stepping onto the floor for his first seniors playoff game in the NCAA Season 101 Seniors Basketball Tournament brought a different kind of pressure.
Still, the 21-year-old guard from Cebu embraced the challenge, establishing himself as the Knights’ primary engine in a high-stakes setting.
Manalili didn’t have a flawless outing, but his fingerprints were all over Letran’s 87-78 victory over Arellano University.
He finished with 15 points, nine assists, and three steals, including a personal seven-point burst in the third quarter that fueled the Knights’ breakaway and extended their lead to 75-67.
It wasn’t always pretty, but it was exactly the kind of playoff poise Letran needed from its young floor general.
“Syempre meron, yung level of competition, mas physical, and iba yung mindsetting,” said the 6-foot freshman, who was the NCAA Season 99 Junior Basketball Finals MVP.
Arellano made sure Manalili earned every point. They went under screens to bait him into jumpers and bumped him early at the point of attack, forcing the young guard to constantly adjust on the fly.
Yet he remained aggressive, repeatedly turning corners, attacking gaps, and generating offense despite the layers of defensive attention thrown his way.
“Sabi ko naman sa sarili ko na tinrabaho ko naman yung binabato nila sa akin kanina sa depensa. And ayun, ginawa ko naman sa ensayo yung mga yon,” Manalili said.
Even with the win, Manalili was the first to acknowledge the flaws. He committed four fouls and five turnovers — clear reminders that the pace and physicality of seniors playoff basketball demand sharper reads and tighter discipline.
For him, those mistakes aren’t setbacks, but checkpoints for growth as Letran pushes deeper into the postseason.
“Siguro yung depensa ko and yung pag-iisip ko sa game. Need mag-improve non para matapos namin,” he said.
