Photo: NCAA Philippines

By Raymond Reyes

Titing Manalili saw his magical rookie year end in heartbreak as Letran College was swept by San Beda University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 101 men’s basketball Finals following their 83-71 Game 2 loss on Saturday.

The 6-foot-1 guard still posted solid numbers despite the pressure of playing in his first Finals with the Knights, where he averaged 16.5 points, six assists, and four rebounds.

Still, the setback was a bitter pill to swallow.

“I learned that I still need to do a lot more,” said Manalili, the Season 101 Rookie of the Year, who led the Squires to two NCAA juniors titles.

But instead of placing blame on himself or his teammates in his first taste of Finals defeat, Manalili is choosing to focus on further improvement, adding that the loss only fuels his desire to elevate his game.

“There are no regrets for all of us. Rather than playing the blame game, we will use this as fuel to improve, reflect, and aim for more,” the Cebu native said.