Pao suspension, Titing surgery puts Letran on back foot
No other team has been beat up in the last minute before the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament other than Letran.
Start with the Knights’ biggest veteran in Pao Javillonar, who won’t be able to suit up to begin the season for at least three games.
Javillonar, who was selected by Converge in this year’s PBA Draft, was sanctioned by the league for already suiting up with the FiberXers during an invitational tournament in Davao.
That appearance drew a three-game suspension, which new Letran coach Allan Ricardo said they appealed to the league’s managing committee to review.
“Hopefully, it [sanction] gets minimized to just one [game],” said Ricardo at Mall of Asia Arena on Tuesday during the league’s preseason press conference.
“I don’t just see Pao as a scorer of the team because he also has a leadership [role] as a veteran.”
As if that wasn’t hard enough for the cellar dweller team of Season 99, their much-anticipated rookie Titing Manalili out of the Squires’ basketball program will miss the upcoming tournament due to an undisclosed injury.
“I guess he’ll have his operation by mid-September,” revealed Ricardo.
“I told him that this season will come by fast and by January, he’ll come back stronger.”
Ricardo went mum on the entire state of Manalili’s injury but said it was sustained while he was playing in another league not too long ago.
Manalili was last season’s Finals MVP when the Squires’ notched back-to-back titles at the expense of Perpetual Help. He also had significant minutes with Strong Group Athletics in the 43rd William Jones Cup in Taiwan.
However, his services will have to be put on hold for the Knights, who are looking to recover from a 2-16 record last year.
“I feel like we’re just ranked from around sixth to tenth. There’s the defending champion San Beda, there’s Mapua, Lyceum, College of St. Benidle, EAC and Arellano, who have all shown improvements so we’ll just take it one game at a time,” Ricardo said
“I’m excited for Sunday. I’m confident with the boys.”
The Knights begin their Season 100 campaign on Sunday at San Juan Arena when they go toe-to-toe with San Sebastian.
