‘Do not judge Manzo’ (Samsam Gullas comes to the defense of beleaguered UV playmaker)

CEBU, Philippines - University of the Visayas Green Lancers team manager Gerald Anthony 'Samsam' Gullas, Jr. came to the defense of his beleaguered playmaker June Kent Manzo, whose hard foul against University of San Carlos' import Shooster Olago was blamed by some quarters as the main reason that sent the Cameroonian center to the hospital.

Moments after their historic 64-53 triumph in the deciding match of their best-of-five finals series that handed the USC Warriors their first collegiate basketball title in 57 years, Olago was brought to Chong Hua Medical Center due to difficulties in breathing, vomiting and severe pain in the stomach.

As reported by another paper, the pain was on the spot where Olago was allegedly hit hard by Manzo at the final 1:26 mark of the contest and the Warriors leading by 10 points. In that sequence, Manzo was assessed with a disqualifying foul and was thrown out of the game.

For what had happened, the chief backers of USC basketball are bent on filing a complaint before the CESAFI, saying that players with intent to hurt opposing players have no place in sports.

But Gullas said Manzo is not the kind of player he has been portrayed to by some people after the incident.

Much as he wanted to reserve his comment because he didn't see the game in the first place, Gullas felt he could not just keep his mouth shut on this delicate issue, much more that he had been a witness to the postive transformation of the Lancers.

"I didn't want to comment because I didn't see the game or until I saw a replay of the game. Honestly, I was hesitant to watch the replay because I knew of the previous history of Jun Manzo and from what I read in social media. But let me tell you, after the Medellin incident, these UV Green Lancers including the so called "Hitman" have turned over a new leaf. Even coach Gary Cortes has impressed me after I suspended him after that same Medellin incident," said Gullas in his lengthy Facebook post.

"I assure you these Green Lancers are respectful, disciplined and are more mature than ever. Most importantly, they are not sore losers. They play hard, they are scrappy, they'll do everything to win, but again, they are not sore losers. As team manager of all four UV basketball teams, I can assure everyone that everything that happened in out-of-town games such as in Bogo and Medellin is a thing of the past. Those days of the Green Lancers are all gone. These are not the Green Lancers who lost Game 5 of the CESAFI finals."

Citing an anecdote that made him appreciate more UV's All-Star pointguard, Gullas has pleaded before the public not to judge Manzo

"Let me tell you something about Manzo. During the course of the championship series, after all the media coverage, after people calling him MVP and after all the hype, he went up to coach Gary and said, 'ayaw lang ko i-first five coach si Codilla (Alfred) lang because he plays much better if first five siya." Trust me, Manzo is a different man from what he was in the pre-season. You can take my word on that."

While he is sad on the turn of events that saw Olago landing at the hospital, Gullas felt Manzo did the right thing in that spur of the moment.

"From what I saw in the replay posted in social media, just like a shooter or wingman cutting from one corner to the other, big men should bump them just to impede their momentum to delay the opposing team's set play. In Game 5, from what 'Ive seen because  I haven't talked to Manzo yet because I'm in Manila, I see a small guard doing the right basketball play impeding the progress of Olago up-court, because honestly, when Olago gets a full head of steam, that's a sure two points," said Gullas.

"I'm just sad that the events transpired ended in Olago in the hospital. But I can assure you, even without talking to Manzo yet, he had no intention on doing anything bad to Olago. Please do not judge him from the pre-season cause he is a different man now. The whole team is, including the coaches.

And again, there wasn't a single punch even thrown unlike what I've read in social media. Give the so called "Hitman" the benefit of the doubt. From my angle, he was making the right basketball play to impede Olago's progress up court," added Gullas. (FREEMAN)