Win for Letran, Worry for Titing Manalili

A 98-86 victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University should have been a moment of celebration for the Letran Knights. But as the final buzzer sounded, a heavy cloud of worry hung over the Muralla bench.

With just 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter, Letran’s star guard Jonathan "Titing" Manalili suffered a bad landing on a layup attempt and had to be carried off the floor 

For a player who was already battling through a wrist injury, seeing Manalili down again was a painful moment for Letran. Beyond the game itself, the real concern is the uncertainty around their team leader and the heavy load he carries every time he plays.

In the post-game press conference, head coach Allen Ricardo spoke openly about how important Manalili is to the team.

"Jonathan's the face of the team. There's no perfect system. You still need a playmaker like Jonathan. 'Yung decision-making, how he controls the game, hindi ganun kadali hanapin 'yun sa ibang players." Head Coach Allen Ricardo said

Despite the scary moment, Coach Allen remains hopeful about his star guard.

"I'm very optimistic and positive na minor lang 'yun... knowing Jonathan, masipag naman 'yan sa workouts. But let's face it Jonathan is the face of the team. I'm hopeful he's fine, and I'll visit him after this." 

For Letran, this win came with a big price. As the tournament gets tougher, the Knights must now prove that their team spirit can stay strong, no matter what happens to their main player.

Photo Credits: NCAA Philippines Media