Returning Jett Manuel.
After two years of absence, Jett Manuel is ready to take on the challenge of leading the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons once again in the UAAP season 78.
“I’m excited for the team,” the 22-year-old guard said on Wednesday during the Smart Elite press conference in Makati.
“It’s not just a return for me. It’s also a new program for the team. New management and new coaches in place, so it’s really an exciting time for the UP community.”
Manuel, who is on his fourth playing year, is positive that the changes in UP’s basketball program could yield positive results this time around.
“The changes in the team is very visible,” he said. “We believe we can do a lot better than the previous years, and that’s a promise.”
Suffering at the cellar for years now, Manuel is aware that the long-standing battlecry of the Isko’s – “Nowhere to go but UP.” – has already been a cliche for the past years and the Fighting Maroons are aching to change the public’s perception of their squad.
“This season, it’s going to be more than ‘nowhere to go but up.’ We’re really going to go up.”