Meet The Beavers: Kendal Manuel
October 26, 2015 | Men's Basketball
The Oregon State men's basketball team opens its regular season on Saturday, Nov. 14 against Northwest Christian at Gill Coliseum. To help preview the 115th season in school history, and Year II of the Wayne Tinkle coaching era, we sat down with the team's newcomers to find out more about them.
One of the fresh faces is Kendal Manual, a 6-foot-4 freshman from Skyview High School in Billings, Mont. A two-time all-state selection in basketball and football and the Eastern Conference MVP in basketball in 2014 and 2015, Kendal plans to major in pre-med.
NOTE: Manuel broke his fibula during a recent practice and underwent surgery on Oct. 22. He is expected to miss the 2015-16 season as he recovers from the injury.
Do you remember your first dunk?
MANUEL: “Every kid's dream is to dunk. My first dunk was my freshman year. We were playing a game of PIG, I just went up and tried it. Later that year I got my first in-game dunk. I was like, 'I've done this before,' so I just went back and played defense. But it was definitely fun, especially after the game.”
What pregame routines or superstitions do you have?
MANUEL: “Before the game I just pray, and that's about it.”
What number would you choose if you could choose your own number?
MANUEL: “I'd probably get 33, because my dad (Paulo) wore that number in college. I wore 23 in high school just to be a little different than him but I've always wanted to wear number 33.”
What is the best sports movie you've ever seen?
MANUEL: “Hurricane Season. It's about Katrina hitting New Orleans. It just hit home because I used to live in New Orleans and I lived there right after Hurricane Katrina. I just hits home with me.”
Which Pac-12 city are you most looking forward to visiting?
MANUEL: “Los Angeles, because it's LA, bright lights, big city and everything about it.”
What other sport did you like to play growing up?
MANUEL: “I liked soccer, football and track. I probably would have played football in college if not for basketball. I played wide receiver and corner.”
Do you prefer to play Call of Duty, FIFA 16, or Madden 16?
MANUEL: “FIFA, definitely FIFA. Everybody on the team plays and we have big challenges to see who the head honcho is. Real Madrid is my team, I like Cristiano Ronaldo.”
What would be your favorite vacation destination?
MANUEL: “I'd go somewhere in the Caribbean or Bora Bora because I like those little houses on stilts out on the water. They are cool.”
You intend to major in pre-med. What field of medicine do you want to go into?
MANUEL: “Probably just a regular physician, but the field could change in these next four years, so we'll see.”
You also enjoy fishing. What is the biggest fish you've ever caught, or your most memorable catch?
MANUEL: “I remember going to Canyon Ferry, a lake in Montana, with my grandfather when I was 12. I reeled in this 9-pound rainbow trout, and that seemed really big to me because I was just 12. I was sitting there trying to crank it in. It took a while but that's a really good memory.”
