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Vic Manuel eager to win 1st PBA title with former tormentors SMB

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="San Miguel" s="" Vic="" Manuel="" in="" action="" against="" TNT="" Game="" of="" the="" PBA="" Philippine="" Cup="" Finals.="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/08/25/vic-manuel.jpg"/><figcaption>San Miguel&#x27;s Vic Manuel in action against TNT in Game 2 of the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup Finals.<em> PBA Images</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- When Vic Manuel arrived in San Miguel in November 2021, he knew that the shock move would give him the opportunity to finally win an elusive PBA championship.</p><p>The success did not come immediately: San Miguel bombed out in the quarterfinals of the PBA Governors&#x27; Cup, Manuel&#x27;s first conference with the team. He played in 12 games, averaging 13.3 points and 4.7 boards per contest.</p><p>His numbers dipped to 10.7 points and 3.4 boards in the ongoing All-Filipino conference, but Manuel is not complaining as the Beermen have made it all the way to the finals. Moreover, he played a major role in their 109-100 win in Game 2, which allowed them to tie their best-of-seven series against the TNT Tropang GIGA.</p><p>&quot;Noong Game 1, medyo nag-struggle ako eh. Nag-struggle ako sa opensa ko,&quot; said Manuel, who had just nine points in an 86-84 loss in the series opener. &quot;Parang na-motivate ako kasi ayun, talo pa kami by buzzer beater so masakit sa amin &#x27;yun.&quot;</p><p>&quot;So ayun, talagang pinagtrabahuhan ko talaga &#x27;to ngayon, &#x27;yung performance na pinakita ko ngayong gabi, para makuha &#x27;tong panalo na &#x27;to,&quot; he added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/24/22/pba-more-composed-san-miguel-levels-series-vs-tnt">GAME RECAP: More composed San Miguel levels series vs TNT</a></li></ul><p>In a marked improvement from his Game 1 output, Manuel put up 20 points in Game 2. Eight of his points came in the fourth quarter where San Miguel fended off a last-ditch rally by the Tropang GIGA to snatch the win.</p><p>&quot;Talagang focused ako sa mga game plan na binibigay sa amin, kung ano &#x27;yung makakapag-panalo sa amin. So ayun, nagawa naman. Sa tingin ko nagawa naman naming ng maayos ngayong gabi,&quot; said Manuel.</p><p>&quot;May mga mistakes pa rin, pero mako-correct pa naman namin sa practice namin,&quot; he added.</p><p>Thanks in part to his own efforts, Manuel is now one step closer towards achieving his long-desired championship. He had gotten close before, notably when he played for the Alaska Aces. Ironically, the reason he remains ring-less until now is because of San Miguel. </p><p>&quot;Siyempre maraming beses na akong pinaiyak ng San Miguel,&quot; he said.</p><p>Manuel was part of the Alaska teams that played San Miguel in the finals of the 2015 and 2016 All-Filipino Conferences, losing each time. Their loss in 2016 was brutal: the Aces won the first three games of the series before SMB won the last four in a comeback known as the &quot;Beeracle.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/11/21/pba-in-smb-vic-manuel-seeks-elusive-championship">READ: In San Miguel, Vic Manuel seeks elusive championship</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/10/21/pba-vic-manuel-ready-to-embrace-pressure-with-smb">READ: Vic Manuel ready to embrace pressure with San Miguel</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Siyempre, motivation ko pa rin sa sarili ko &#x27;yun na makakuha ng championship. Siyempre, hindi pa naman huli para sa akin ang lahat eh,&quot; said Manuel. &quot;May chance pa, hanggang nandito ako, naglalaro, alam ko makakakuha ako.&quot;</p><p>But what further motivates Manuel is the desire to play a key role in the run to the championship -- to be of help to the Beermen as they win games. It had not been easy for him, at first, to find his role in the loaded squad but he believes he has now found his niche. </p><p>&quot;Kailangan tulungan ko lang &#x27;yung mga teammates ko. Alam ko naman, lagi sila sa finals, tapos lagi silang nagcha-champion. Kailangan, tulong lang ako,&quot; said Manuel. </p><p>&quot;Siyempre, hindi naman ako pwedeng mag-relax lang, na mag-aabang ka na lang na magcha-champion, na wala kang itutulong. So, ang pangit tingnan. Hindi ko kaya &#x27;yun. Hindi ko kaya na walang maitulong sa team,&quot; he said.</p><div><strong>PBA Season 47 games can be streamed live and on-demand on iWantTFC with a Premium subscription, available worldwide except PH and US. </strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YbWvgm8fCoU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

When Vic Manuel arrived in San Miguel in November 2021, he knew that the shock move would give him the opportunity to finally win an elusive PBA championship.

Vic Manuel eager to win 1st PBA title with former tormentors SMB

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Vic Manuel eager to win 1st PBA title with former tormentors SMB

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 25, 2022 02:03 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

PBA

PBA Philippine Cup

San Miguel Beermen

TNT Tropang GIGA

Vic Manuel

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