In his NCAA Final Four seniors debut, Colegio de San Juan de Letrán star rookie Jonathan “Titing” Manalili admitted that he didn’t expect the type of physicality during their Game 1 win against the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA last December 2 2025 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
Expectation vs Reality
Playing in his first ever semifinals in the NCAA Season 101, Titing Manalili said during their postgame interview that they expected and planned to win by a big margin against the #1 team in Group A, Perpetual Altas.
They did in the 1st half but they didn’t expect a 2nd half resurgence led by Patrick Sleat as they saw their 14-point lead get trimmed down to just 3 points in the 3rd quarter.
“Yun ang expected kase namin kanina yung bago mag game talagang gusto naming tambakan sila. So yun nangyari naman pero yun ang mali lang talaga namin hindi namin na, kumbaga hindi namin kinontrol yung game so nahabol kami so binalikan yung kung paano kami dumidepensa.”
In the first half, the Knights even saw their lead grow as much as 19 points. But the Altas flipped the script in the 3rd and 4th quarter as they made it to a close game.
The 21 year old guard then mentioned he wasn’t aware of the physicality they’re going to experience which includes their scuffle with one of his close friends from the Altas, Mark Gojo Cruz.
“Lalo na yung physicality, hindi ko talaga inaasahan na magkaka-ganun. Lalo na kami ni Gojo Cruz. So yun sabi lang sa akin ni Coach Allen focus ka lang sa game.”
Mark Gojo Cruz was also included in a “heated moment” against Jun Roque of the Knights as their arms got tangled up which resulted in a double Technical Foul to be called.
“Hindi pa dito natatapos and huwag tayo mag relax.”
Being literally one win away from making it to the Finals again since 2022, the rookie reminded his team that the Altas wouldn’t be easily eliminated come Friday and the Knights must prepare for Perpetual to even things out.
“Yun nga nag huddle kami after the game sinasabi ko lang sa kanila ‘Good win and siyempre congrats sa lahat pero hindi pa dito natatapos and huwag tayo mag relax siyempre lalo advantage tayo ngayon, naka momentum na tayo so huwag na natin ibigay sa kanila kase baka nga mag-iba yung ihip ng hangin’.”
He ended his postgame interview saying that they work it all back in their practices for them to accomplish their mission.
“So yun ta-trabahuhin namin sa ensayo at ta-trabahuhin namin yun lang.”
The former Letrán Squires champion had 15 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 steals in their Game 1 win.
The Letrán Knights will try to finish off their semifinals match against the Perpetual Altas come Friday, December 5 at the Mall of Asia Arena by 2:30 PM.
