THE final playdate of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball proved to be greater than only a rumble for the ultimate ticket.
In a surprising turn, Janrey Pasaol stole the thunder from league leaders within the nick of time to assert the Most Priceless Player (MVP) honor as a consolation prize to Far Eastern University’s (FEU) exit at the tip of the two-round eliminations.
Mr. Pasaol finished with 81.5 statistical points to grab the award from De La Salle University’s (DLSU) Mike Phillips and National University’s (NU) Jake Figueroa behind a solid performance within the FEU Tamaraws’ 81-79 win against the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers to complete at fifth place with a 7-7 slate.
The brother of PBA player and UAAP great Alvin delivered a double-double of 13 points and 11 assists laced by six rebounds and five steals, proving enough to propel him to No. 1 within the statistical race from No. 3. entering the ultimate game.
Mr. Pasaol, who’s set to be crowned as the primary Tamaraw MVP since Terrence Romeo in 2013, was the league’s best floor general with a league-best 7.5 assists on top of 15.43 points, 4.14 rebounds and a pair of.14 steals.
Before FEU’s last task against semis-bound Santo Tomas, Mr. Pasaol was sitting at third with 79.154 points behind Mr. Phillips (79.231) and Santo Tomas foreign-student athlete (FSA) Collins Akowe (82.231), who nonetheless is ineligible for MVP award as a consequence of the brand new UAAP ruling.
Mr. Phillips and Mr. Akowe went on to complete with only 80.429 and 79.286 points, respectively.
Mr. Figueroa, because the captain of league-leading NU, led majority of the second round but settled for 3 points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block within the Bulldogs’ 80-71 loss to the Growling Tigers to miss out with 77.286 points.
The three joined Mr. Pasaol to the Mythical Five, now rebranded because the Elite Team, including Santo Tomas’ Nic Cabañero who finished seventh within the race with 66.643 points.
University of the East’s (UE) Precious Momowei (74.214) and FEU’s Mo Konateh (74.786) were ahead of Mr. Cabañero but just one FSA could make it to the Top Five.
Recent UAAP ruling has a separate MVP award for locals and Best FSA award for foreign players but since there was no top FSA within the statistical race with Mr. Akowe settling for third behind locals Messrs. Pasaol and Phillips, no such plum can be awarded this season.
Highschool sensation Mr. Akowe could have the Rookie of the Yr as an alternative after winning the MVP and Best FSA awards in his final two junior seasons with the NU Bullpups before committing for the Growling Tigers within the collegiate ranks.
In women’s division, NU’s Karl Ann Pingol (93.571) ended the back-to-back MVP reign of Ateneo’s Kacey dela Rosa (91.429) as Santo Tomas’ Kent Pastrana (88.643), NU’s Kristine Cayabyab (73.571) and Angel Surada (71.714) accomplished the Elite Team.
UE’s Goodluck Okebata clinched the MVP plum within the U16 division with 96.214 points. Joining him within the Elite Team were Santo Tomas’ Rowie Cabañero (95.643), FEU’s Dwyne Enriquez (89.286), NU’s Moussa Diakite (85.143) and FEU’s Prince Cariño (84.769). — John Bryan Ulanday