Manuel tows Pharex to PBL finals

Vic Manuel scored 27 points to help Pharex B Complex complete a 96-83 win over Cossack Blue in their semifinal round of the 2010 PBL PG Flex-Erase Placenta Cup on Saturday at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City.

The 6-foot-4 Manuel, who was a bench player for Burger King in the PBA, also grabbed 12 rebounds in 26 minutes of action as the Fighting Maroons grabbed the first finals seat in the season-opening conference. The 22-year-old just missed six of his 17 attempts (11-of-17 for a 64.7 percent shooting clip) scoring most of his points in the second half where Pharex enjoyed several double-digit leads. “I honestly thought it would be Marlon Adolfo who will be the best player. I didn’t know Vic got his numbers," said coach Abboy Castro on his prized forward. Adolfo added 21 points while Mark Lopez chipped in 11 as their top three scorers, who all came off the bench, helped Pharex establish a huge 67-18 advantage in bench points. “Vic, I believe should be the best player of the conference because he has been consistent for us. But this is more than a Vic Manuel show because it’s really a team effort. All the players made their sacrifices," added Castro, who is in his first-ever finals series as a head coach. Other players like Woody Co and Arvin Braganza, who both had a poor offensive game, did their part in other departments. Co pulled down eight rebounds while Braganza issued six assists even if James Martinez won their head-to-head match up by scoring 15 points behind a 5-of-13 field goal shooting. Manuel scored 11 points in the third as Pharex outscored Cossack, 27-15, to give the Maroons a 65-55 spread entering the final canto. But the Vodka Spirits won’t go down without a fight. Paul Zamar buried consecutive three-pointers as Cossack moved within five, 69-64, early in the fourth period. The speedy Manuel then used his height advantage against the Spirits’ big men scoring six straight in a 12-2 exchange to give Pharex an 81-66 spread midway in the fourth. – GMANews.TV