NCAA: Chiefs answer character test with statement win vs. Red Lions

Arellano University head coach Chico Manabat in NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball. Angela Davocol/NCAA Philippines.MANILA — More than ending a three-game skid, Arellano University head coach Chico Manabat said their win against defending champion San Beda University put a spotlight on how the Chiefs’ character has evolved through the years.

“They did not only start strong, but they finished stronger, and yun ang sinasabi ko sa inyong pusong palaban ng Arellano,” said Manabat after they stunned San Beda, 56-55, behind Basti Valencia’s heroics in NCAA Season 102 on Tuesday.

It was a sigh of relief for Arellano, which finally returned to the win column after entering the crossover phase with defeats to Jose Rizal University, College of Saint Benilde, and Mapua University following a four-game sweep of Group B.

For Manabat, however, the victory was more than just a much-needed result, as it served as a testament to the approach he has instilled in the Arellano program since taking over in 2023.

“Yun ang proseso na ginagawa namin, dine-develop namin sila,” he said. “Siguro ngayon nakikita na nila yung ibig naming sabihin, na talagang it’s about believing in yourself para matalo yung mga ganitong big programs.”

Arellano not only had to weather San Beda’s 15-point comeback led by Aldous Torculas, but also saw Chiefs main man T-MC Ongotan exit the game with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter due to an apparent right ankle injury.

For Valencia, it was in moments like those that Manabat’s teachings came to the fore.

“Aminin naman natin, ’di naman na kami bago sa pagkatalo,” said Valencia, as Arellano continues its search for a first Final Four appearance since its Finals run in 2016. “Sobrang dami nang scenario na nadaanan na natalo kami, so ni-reverse lang namin yung card.”

With the win, the Chiefs tightened their grip on the top spot in Group A with five wins in eight games, but Manabat knows the challenges awaiting his squad will only get tougher from this point forward.

“Basta kami, naghahanda lang kami kung sino matatalo namin,” he said. “Yun ang pinaka-importante.”