There’s very little to celebrate if you’re playing for Terrafirma, unless you’re Vic Manuel whose trying everything to put a positive spin on the latest chapter of his PBA career.

“I’m still very happy,” he told reporters in Filipino in a candid chat inside the Dyip’s dugout, minutes after a 96-91 loss to Meralco that now has Terrafirma at 0-4 and, yes, at the bottom of the 12-team field.

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“Because, you know, I get to wake up on a game day, and I’m excited to see the court because I know I’m going to play,” he said after scoring 13 points in his second game since being traded by powerhouse San Miguel Beer to the perennial whipping boys.

Undersized big man

An undersized big man known for his footwork and crafty ways in the paint, Manuel was immediately an integral cog in the San Miguel rotation as soon as he joined the club in 2021, and was key in the run-up to the 2022 Philippine Cup championship.

His minutes, however, dwindled in the seasons that followed, no thanks to the assortment of injuries that also kept him from regaining his groove and, more importantly, his confidence.

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But all that is in the past now, according to the darling of the gold medal squad to the Southeast Asian Games that was held in Manila back in 2019.

“I’m really glad [of my playing time now],” he added. “I also can’t blame my old team [in trading me]. I was coming from an injury and I just couldn’t get my timing,” said Manuel, who was dealt away just before the conference alongside Terrence Romeo.

Manuel said he intends to play at full speed as the season goes on. “I’ve been playing comfortably because I’ve missed the game so much. Every minute I’m on the court, I’ll give whatever I can.”

Manuel said he feels like a freshman with this newfound zest. But at 37 years old, such a feeling has been fleeting.

“I feel like a rookie. But my body’s already feeling things,” Manuel, who plays his old team next, said with a chuckle. “But I intend to give my 100 percent every time. We just fell short today.” INQ