Manalili brings lessons from Boban, Strong Group back to Letran

For Jonathan “Titing” Manalili, one of the lessons he took from his second stint with Strong Group Athletics came from a former NBA big man.

Boban Marjanović had a simple reminder for the Letran guard: don’t make basketball harder than it needs to be.

“Kinikwento ni Boban teammates niya sa NBA, sabi niya lang shot selection, kumbaga, find the open guy, sobrang dali ng basketball, kumbaga wag mo na pahirapan,” Manalili told ALL-STAR.

That lesson came during a much different Jones Cup stint for Manalili.

When he first joined Strong Group, his playing time was limited. He was still a young player learning from veterans such as Kiefer Ravena and RJ Abarrientos.

“Nung una naman, medyo limited lang yung oras ko doon pero may nakuha akong experience like kay Manong Kiefer Ravena, kay RJ so ayun inapply ko lang sa sarili ko kaya yun mas kumpyansa ako mag laro sa mas parang kaedad ko,” Manalili said.

He took those lessons with him into his first NCAA season with Letran.

Manalili quickly established himself as one of the Knights’ key players, earning both Rookie of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors after averaging 13.8 points, 9.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 steals.

He also helped Letran reach the NCAA Finals for the first time in three years before falling to rival San Beda.

By the time Manalili returned to Strong Group for the 45th William Jones Cup, he was no longer the same player who had seen limited minutes during his first stint.

This time, he was given a bigger opportunity.

“Yung pangalawa, mas nabigyan ako ng opportunity so yun, malaki yung experience na nakuha ko dun. Di pa rin ganun kadali, mas need ko pa rin dagdagan yung kumpyansa ko kasi nga feel ko masyado na rin akong relax so ayun balik ako sa ensayo,” said Manalili.

Manalili made the most of that opportunity, helping Strong Group finish the tournament’s group stage with a 5-1 record and earning Player of the Game honors against Chinese Taipei Blue after posting 13 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.

Strong Group ultimately settled for fifth place after the tournament format guaranteed Chinese Taipei Blue a semifinal format despite its 1-5 record in the group stage.

But for Manalili, the bigger takeaway was the chance to test himself again — this time with more responsibility and more confidence.

And now, he brings everything he picked up along the way back to Letran.

From learning from veterans during his first Strong Group stint, to becoming a key player in his rookie NCAA season, to taking on a bigger role against international competition, Manalili has added another layer to his game.

There was also Boban’s reminder: keep the game simple.

As Manalili enters his second NCAA season, those lessons will now come with him back to the Knights.