Manzo: ‘I didn’t punch Olago’

AFTER getting ejected in the waning moments of Game Five, University of the Visayas (UV) star guard Jun Manzo claims that the punishment did not fit the crime as he swore he did not punch University of San Carlos (USC) reinforcement Shooster Olago.

 
With 1:26 left in what was already a won ballgame for USC, Olago was running up the floor and slammed into a bodycheck by Manzo, sending him sprawling to the sidelines. Manzo was later sent to the showers early for unsportsmanlike foul while Olago ended up in the hospital afterwards for severe abdominal pain and vomiting.

 
It was an ignominious end to what was a sensational start to the series by Manzo, who averaged 22 points in the first three games but struggled in the last two, finishing with just four in the 53-64 Game Five loss.

Jun Manzo of UV loses his balance in the face of the USC defense in Game 3 of the Cesafi men’s basketball finals at the Cebu Coliseum.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

“Coach (Gary Cortes) just said that if we made a basket, we should foul immediately. I just bumped (Shooster) Olago. I honestly did not punch him,” said Manzo in a conversation on Wednesday afternoon.

 
Video replays posted on social media backed Manzo’s claims as Olago simply did not see the latter coming and, thus, was not prepared at the point of impact.

 
But while Manzo may very well be found not guilty of roughhousing, there’s still the matter of his disappearing act in Games Four and Five, where he managed just seven and four points, respectively.

 
“I just felt the pressure. I felt that the expectations of UV and the fans of me were so great. But they didn’t blame me afterwards. In fact, they’ve been encouraging me to get back up and keep working,” the Nasipit-native said.

 
Manzo admitted that the game plan in the second half of the series asked him to make a transition from scorer to playmaker. “I had to change my mentality. I was scoring a lot of points but we lost two of the three games where I scored more than 20. That’s why I tried to distribute the ball more.”

 
Cortes added that for all of Manzo’s skill and talent, he is still a kid with ample room to grow.

 
“I told him after Game Three to not mind all the praises from social media, print media and text. I told him that it’s all true, you are the man of the hour, but just focus on your game for your future.”