MANILA, Philippines – Rob Manalang didn’t nearly have enough time to break out in the collegiate basketball scene, but the world of pro ball awaits.
And he’s confident that he’s more than ready.
A product of the fast-rising Adamson Soaring Falcons program under multi-titled head coach Franz Pumaren, the Fil-Am point guard feels that he has grown more confident of his game since the last time he wore his college colors.
“[I’m] just being a leader, you know. Being a point guard, you have to be an extension of the coach on the court,” he said at the 2018 PBA Draft Combine, just days before the Rookie Draft on Sunday, December 16 at Robinsons Place Manila.
“I’ve played with many different coaches here in the Philippines so I think I’m ready for any situation.”
And his improvement quickly showed in the D-League under the AMA Titans, where he dropped a conference-record 40 points in just his second game.
“I think it shows that I wasn’t just a pure point guard. I showed my scoring ability,” he said. “And then in the second conference I was playing with better players, so I was more of a complete point guard.”
“This is the Philippines, so there’s a lot of guards in general,” he continued. “So I just gotta be able to compete man. I know that it’s gonna be a competition. It’s something that coach Franz installed in me, just to be competitive and leave your heart on the court.”
The 5-foot-7 guard thrived under the five-time UAAP champion tactician, who shuffled him from a starting to a sixth man role depending on the day’s matchup.
In his second and final season with Adamson, Manalang averaged 9.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steals playing alongside, mostly behind, fellow floor general Jerie Pingoy.
“Coach Franz is a great coach at any level,” he said. “He’s helped me become a leader and just become a more all-around player. After my experience in Adamson, I was able to do well in the D-League and expand my game a little bit more than when I was in Adamson.”
Apart from improving his game, the 25-year-old Manalang also made it a point to get into better shape to compensate for his undersized frame.
“I’ve been working on my body. In Adamson, I was pretty big. I lost about 20 pounds and put on 10 pounds of muscle,” he said. “So I’ve been constantly working on my body. I know I gotta be able to defend the bigger guys. That’s gonna be a big thing, but I’ve been working on it.”
“The good thing about me is I know my strengths and my weaknesses so every day I try to get a little better,” he continued. “It’s all about self-improvement and I think that’ll take me a long way.”
He’s not the quickest nor the biggest guard around, that’s for sure. But if a team needs an adaptable and coachable guard to boost their offense, Manalang may just be a perfect fit. – Rappler.com
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