For NCAA Season 101, the spotlight has often shone on Colegio de San Juan’s dazzling point guard, Titing Manalili.
From his no-look passes that sent social media into a frenzy to steering the Knights back to the Finals for the first time since NCAA Season 98 (2022), Manalili has made a compelling case as the league’s top floor general.
But as Letran prepares to face arch-rival San Beda University in a best-of-three Finals series — their first Finals showdown since NCAA Season 95 and the 18th championship clash in league history — head coach Yuri Escueta is challenging the prevailing narrative.
For Escueta, the NCAA’s best point guard isn’t Manalili at all.
It’s San Beda’s workhorse, Nygel Gonzales, who delivered an all-around performance of seven points, seven assists, and four rebounds in an 84-81 Finals-clinching victory over the CSB Blazers.
“Alam ko, people will say the best point guard for them [ay] si Titing Manalili, who is very good and talented. But for me, I believe personally the best point guard in the NCAA is Nygel Gonzales,” Escueta said Sunday evening at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
For the former Ateneo Blue Eagle, Manalili may be a game-changing talent, but Gonzales brings intangibles that set him apart.
In his junior year, Gonzales has been pivotal in San Beda’s return to the Finals since Season 99, posting averages of 11.66 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.
Waiting for him across the court when Game 1 tips off this Wednesday, December 10, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum is a confident Manalili, riding a six-game win streak and boasting MVP-worthy stats: 14.1 points, 8.9 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.9 steals during the eliminations.
“For me, alam ko maraming magsasabing hindi totoo yan. He plays defense, he rebounds, he brings the ball down, his turnovers are low, [and] assist to turnover ratio niya is one to four,” Escueta explained.
“Head-to-head matchup, it’s gonna be a dogfight. Kailangan, maghanda sila pareho.”
Gonzales, who has grown accustomed to Escueta’s high expectations since his rookie season in Season 99, was unfazed by the praise. But now, with the Finals spotlight set on a marquee backcourt battle against Manalili, the Lipa City, Batangas native is ready to prove his coach right.
“Hindi naman kasi kung tutuusin din, from the very start nung rookie year, palagi ako chinachallenge ni coach Yuri, kaya for me, sanay na rin naman ako,” Gonzales told reporters.
“Titignan namin sa practice kung ano magagawa namin sa kanya, but for sure, papahirapan namin ulit siya at ang Letran.”
