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PBA: In San Miguel, Vic Manuel seeks elusive championship

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Vic Manuel in action for Phoenix Super LPG in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup. PBA Media Bureau." src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/sports/11/11/pba-images9.jpg"/><figcaption>Vic Manuel in action for Phoenix Super LPG in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup. PBA Media Bureau.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- Veteran forward Vic Manuel is well aware that the shock trade that brought him to San Miguel also gives him an opportunity to finally win a PBA title -- something that has eluded him in his career.Ironically, the Beermen are the reason that Manuel remains without a championship. When he was starring for Alaska, they played San Miguel in the PBA Philippine Cup finals in 2015 and again in 2016. Each time, they lost in seven gruelling games.The loss in 2016 was particularly harrowing, as the Aces raced to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series -- only for San Miguel to win the last four games in the comeback that has been immortalized as the &quot;Beeracle.&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/08/21/pba-smb-sends-arwind-to-northport-acquires-vic-manuel">READ: SMB sends Arwind to NorthPort, acquires Vic ManuelREAD: SMB sends Arwind to NorthPort, acquires Vic Manuel</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/09/21/santos-manuel-trade-good-for-the-pba-says-marcial">READ: Santos-Manuel trade good for the PBA, says Marcia</a></li></ul>&quot;Siyempre, hindi mo makakalimutan &#x27;yun,&quot; Manuel quickly answered when asked if he still remembers that series.The &quot;Muscle Man&quot; was spectacular in that finals, averaging 18.3 points per game. But he was held to just three points in the deciding Game 7, which SMB won 96-89 to claim the second of what would be five straight All-Filipino crowns.Manuel now has a chance to help San Miguel return to the top of the heap in the PBA, after the Beermen fell short of expectations in the past two All-Filipino conferences. They were ousted in the quarterfinals in 2020 by Meralco, and bowed to eventual champions TNT in the semifinals just last month.For Manuel, the situation is packed with pressure.&quot;&#x27;Yan talaga &#x27;yung pressure, &#x27;di ba? &#x27;Yan,&quot; he said, when the topic of winning a championship in San Miguel was raised.&quot;Siyempre, sana makakuha, &#x27;di ba?&quot; he added. &quot;Makukuha ko na &#x27;yung first championship, with San Miguel pa,&quot;Manuel admits that he has some concerns about possibly reaching the finals with San Miguel, only to lose again. He does not want, in his own words, to be seen as &quot;malas&quot; for the franchise.&quot;Pressure &#x27;yun, tapos andito ka na, naglalaro ka sa San Miguel, tapos nag-fa-finals ka, &#x27;di ka mag-champion. Ah wala, malas talaga &#x27;yan, &#x27;di ba?&quot; he said. &quot;Pressure! Mahirap &#x27;yun!&quot;&quot;Kailangan maging healthy talaga ako. Pakita ko na talagang powerhouse &#x27;yung mga kinakalaban naming team noon kaya kami natatalo. Eh ngayon mapupunta ka sa isang powerhouse na team, powerhouse talaga. Tapos natalo ka pa rin, talagang pressure &#x27;yun, &#x27;di ba? Hirap noon,&quot; he added.But San Miguel head coach Leo Austria is optimistic that Manuel will experience the same breakthrough that star guard Terrence Romeo had when he joined the Beermen in 2018.Romeo was also part of a sensational trade, arriving in San Miguel from TNT Tropang GIGA in December 2018. In his very first conference with the team, he helped the Beermen rule the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup, and was the Finals MVP when they won the Commissioner&#x27;s Cup in the next conference. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/10/21/austria-explains-arwind-trade-we-need-some-changes">READ: Austria explains Arwind trade: &#x27;We need some changes&#x27;</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 SMB</a></li></ul>&quot;It&#x27;s very evident naman eh. &#x27;Pag pasok ni Terrence, coming from other teams without a championship, nanalo siya ng championship,&quot; said Austria.The key, the coach stressed, is for Manuel to accept the role that will be given to him -- something that Romeo was quick to do upon his arrival.&quot;He accepted the role. And then, we&#x27;re expecting him (Manuel) na ganoon din ang gagawin niya, i-accept the role. And then sabi niya, he will do his best dahil alam naman niya na this is a championship team. So, he will do his best,&quot; Austria said.Manuel assured that he will have no problem doing whatever is asked of him, and has already accepted that he will not be the focal point of the offense in a squad that features six-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo.&quot;Sa tingin ko hindi naman ako masyado mahihirapan mag-adjust sa San Miguel kasi especially meron ka nang June Mar sa ilalim eh tapos meron ka pang Mo (Tautuaa), ta&#x27;s ang galing pa ng mga wings mo,&quot; he said.&quot;May point guard like Chris (Ross), &#x27;di ba? So &#x27;yung magiging role ko lang doon parang abang-abang ka lang, kasi hindi mo kailangan pumukpok nang pumukpok,&quot; he added. &quot;Andiyan si June Mar, andiyan si Mo.&quot;&quot;Magiging mas madali sa &#x27;kin. Kung may opportunity naman na umiskor sak &#x27;in, na ako bibigyan nila ng option eh mas okay din sa akin &#x27;di ba. Actually, &#x27;di ko na pipilitin sarili ko na mag-iskor nang mag-iskor kasi meron ka talagang mga scorer diyan.&quot;Manuel has already reported to San Miguel practice and had an initial meeting with Austria on Tuesday. He is expected to join the team&#x27;s full practice next week as they prepare for the PBA Governors&#x27; Cup, which is tentatively set to open on November 28.

Vic Manuel is well aware that the shock trade that brought him to San Miguel also gives him an opportunity to finally win a PBA title.

PBA: In San Miguel, Vic Manuel seeks elusive championship

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PBA: In San Miguel, Vic Manuel seeks elusive championship

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 11, 2021 04:02 PM PHT

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