A former La Salle star and PBA draftee now serves as team manager of PBA guest team Eastern.
BJ Manalo has been tapped to assist and facilitate the Hong Kong-based ballclub’s participation in the Commissioner’s Cup which got off to a rousing start following a 102-87 win over the Phoenix Fuel Masters at the Philsports Arena on Wednesday night.
Manalo, a former second-round pick of the Purefoods franchise in the 2005 draft, sat on the bench of Eastern, and from time to time, would talk to Eastern coach Mensur Bajramovic.
READ Eastern marks PBA debut with convincing win over Phoenix
He acts as Manila counterpart of Eastern team manager Ho Chung Lit Lobo, who is based in Hong Kong.
“Tumutulong lang ako sa kanila. Bridge lang ako,” he said over the sidelines after the Eastern win. “(Tumutulong) sa kaunting translation, sa PBA rules, sa operations.”
Manalo, who once played for La Salle and Ateneo, of course has knowledge of how to handle a team after previously working as team manage for GlobalPort (now Northport) in its early days in the PBA.
He was tasked to do the same job for Eastern since the team is also seeing action in the EASL (East Asia Super League) where Manalo is likewise involved.
“Tumutulong kasi ako sa EASL sa mga basketball camps nila kaya ako kinailangan nila rito,” he said, adding he doesn’t actually know anyone from the team until he was given the job as manager.
Manalo’s role however, is only limited to PBA matters.
“Dito lang ako. Hindi naman ako part ng team. Kapag nasa PBA lang sila,” he stressed. “So kung may EASL sila or nasa Hong Kong sila, hindi ako kasama.”
Aside from the PBA and EASL, Eastern is also playing in the domestic league Hong Kong A1 Division Championships.
Manalo said since giving up his job at GlobalPort, he focused on running the family’s construction business.
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But basketball being his first love, Manalo said he still finds himself getting involved in the game in whatever capacity, from time to time.
“Kapag may mga opportunity sa basketball na kaya pa ring gampanan, tumutulong pa rin naman ako,” he said.
Just like what he’s been doing for Eastern now.
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