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PBA: 'Refreshed' Vic Manuel hopes to mentor Chua, Perkins in Phoenix

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/02/24/20200924-pba_1.jpg"/><figcaption>Vic Manuel (24) joins Phoenix Super LPG in a blockbuster trade with Alaska. PBA Media Bureau.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- Vic Manuel got the fresh start that he wanted when the Alaska Aces traded him to Phoenix Super LPG on Tuesday, in exchange for veteran guard Brian Heruela and three draft picks.It was a wish granted for Manuel, who asked for a trade in January after being dissatisfied with the contract offered to him by Alaska. While it took six weeks for the trade to be commenced, in the end Manuel was delighted with the result.&quot;Sobrang hirap din sa part ko na umalis sa Alaska,&quot; he admitted. &quot;Ayun nga, seven years na andoon ako, nag-stay.&quot;&quot;Pero kasi ang gusto ko lang mangyari, &#x27;yun, parang ma-refresh lang. Ma-refresh &#x27;yung sarili mo,&quot; he explained. &quot;Parang maiba naman &#x27;yung parang ambiance, parang ganoon.&quot;&quot;Gusto ko lang ma-refresh, ma-refresh talaga.&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/02/23/21/pba-alaska-sends-vic-manuel-to-phoenix">READ: Alaska sends Vic Manuel to Phoenix</a></li></ul>Even so, he joins a team with plenty of familiar faces. Phoenix head coach Topex Robinson used to be an assistant coach in Alaska. Newly acquired combo guard Chris Banchero also used to play for the Aces before he was traded to Magnolia in 2019, and eventually, to Phoenix as part of the Calvin Abueva deal. Manuel wryly noted that he and Banchero were separated for just one conference before reuniting. There&#x27;s also RJ Jazul, another former Alaska point guard, and Matthew Wright, who was Manuel&#x27;s teammate in the gold medal winning Gilas Pilipinas in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.But Manuel is also looking forward to working with Phoenix Super LPG&#x27;s young front court players, Jason Perkins and Justin Chua. Both were vital to the Fuel Masters&#x27; run to the semifinals of the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup. Chua, in particular, was in the running for Most Improved Player of the season after putting up 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and a league-leading 1.6 blocks per game. Perkins, for his part, averaged 17.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, while shooting nearly 51% from the field including 39.5% from beyond the arc. &quot;Napag-usapan din namin &#x27;yan kanina ni Coach Topex, na siyempre sabi ko, pagpasok ko doon sa team, willing naman akong i-guide &#x27;yung mga big guys, &#x27;yung mga big guys sa Phoenix,&quot; said Manuel. &quot;Willing naman akong i-guide sila, tapos turuan, para ma-share &#x27;yung mga natutunan ko din. Siyempre &#x27;yung mga experience ko rin.&quot;Manuel said that during a meeting with Robinson on Wednesday, the coach revealed that Perkins had called him to express his excitement about Manuel joining the team. The veteran forward believes he can help Perkins, a former Rookie of the Year, improve his game even further. &quot;Siyempre, ishe-share ko sa kanya &#x27;yung mga kakayanan ko, &#x27;yung mga experience ko, mga natutunan ko. Siyempre ishe-share ko sa kanya kasi malaking bagay &#x27;yun, kung ma-apply niya, &#x27;di ba,&quot; he said. &quot;Alam naman natin kung gaano siya kalakas &#x27;yung katawan, gaano kagaling maglaro. So kung mas magiging effective pa siya, especially sa poste, malaking bagay &#x27;yun para sa amin, para sa team ng Phoenix,&quot; he added. Manuel will join Phoenix Super LPG in its small group practices starting next week, after undergoing a swab test Wednesday. <figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1627595" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Vic Manuel got the fresh start that he wanted when the Alaska Aces traded him to Phoenix Super LPG on Tuesday.

Vic Manuel got the fresh start that he wanted when the Alaska Aces traded him to Phoenix Super LPG on Tuesday.

PBA: 'Refreshed' Vic Manuel hopes to mentor Chua, Perkins in Phoenix

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PBA: 'Refreshed' Vic Manuel hopes to mentor Chua, Perkins in Phoenix

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 24, 2021 07:09 PM PHT

Read More:

PBA

Vic Manuel

Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters

Topex Robinson

Jason Perkins

Justin Chua

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