With the San Beda–Letran rivalry reaching fever pitch in the NCAA Season 101 Finals, Nygel Gonzales and Titing Manalili are steering clear of the noise as they brush aside talks on who deserves the 'best point guard' tag.
Red Lions head coach Yuri Escueta opened the conversation last weekend when he declared that Gonzales is the best point guard in the league, placing him ahead of Titing Manalili whom many consider as the top floor general.
Neither Gonzales nor Manalili, however, is paying any attention to the debate
In fact, the third-year Gonzales was so laser-focused in Game 1 of the finals last Wednesday that he delivered exactly what Escueta needed, helping San Beda draw first blood in the best-of-three series.
Gonzales finished with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, adding five assists, two rebounds, and a steal to lead the Red Lions to a commanding 89–70 victory over the Knights.
"Hindi ko naman siya pasyadong pinapansin. Wala naman akong pakialam sa comparison. Si Titing is a very good player din talaga," Gonzales said.
Manalili, on the other hand, shared the same sentiment.
The rookie sensation said he doesn't care about individual accolades or recognition, emphasizing that his focus is on helping the Knights bounce back from their Game 1 setback as they prepare for Game 2 on Saturday.
"Sa akin naman, okay na ako. Sa inyo na ‘yung mga award na ‘yan. Nag-ensayo ako simula January pa lang para sa team, hindi para sa sarili ko lang," Manalili said.
"Kung ano man ‘yung sinasabi ng mga tao, ‘yung mga awards na ‘yan, best point guard na ‘yan, okay na ako sa inyo na ‘yan. I’m not here to prove anything for myself. Okay na ako. Nandito ako para mag-champion ‘yung team."
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
