In his final year of duty for the Adamson University Soaring Falcons, Sean Manganti has two goals: For everyone to treat Adamson as a big school and to become one of the best small forwards in collegiate basketball.
But in order to be the best, you have to train with the best. And the 6-foot-5 Adamsonian is lucky enough to be working with one of the best young players right now in Kiefer Ravena.
“Since the first round, he reached out to me and, at first, I was surprised. He’s one of my idols right here.
“I was humbled that he reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to work out. You already know I said yeah. I wanted to pick his brain and he worked me out for an hour, we talked for like two to three hours,” he disclosed.
“Every game, we’ve been texting, talking on what I can do better, how I should be more consistent during the crunch time. We’ve been texting every day since. He’s been mentoring me. I’m really glad that he reached out,” he furthered.
The two started get in touch last September 19 after Adamson’s 90-76 win over the UE Red Warriors. During that game, Manganti dropped his season-high 27 points.
One of the first people to congratulate him was Ravena.
“He congratulated me after the UE game. He said good game, keep doing what you’re doing, told me I got a lot of eyes on me now and he wanted to polish my game a little bit,” said Manganti, who is averaging 14.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 25.9 minutes of game time.
“I said, ‘Hell yeah.’ We’ve been connected ever since.”
Ravena is currently serving a FIBA-imposed suspension, and will only get to play again on August 24, 2019. The second overall pick in the 2017 PBA Draft has been making the most of his time, sharing his knowledge to upstarts like Robert Bolick, J-Jay Alejandro, and now, Manganti.
For a hopeful like Manganti, it’s good to have a mentor and a friend like Ravena.
“Huge man. He’s worked out with Robert Bolick, and Robert’s good. I’ve been watching his film too in the NCAA and I’m trying to get some of his game into mine. Kiefer has shown me a lot of stuff,” he shared.
“I’m humbled he chose me and we’ve been talking and I could say he’s a good friend now.”
