De La Salle University swingman Ricci Rivero stood out among his peers and earned this week’s Chooks-to-Go/SMART-NCAA Press Corps Player of the Week crown of the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament for the week of October 9-15, 2017.
Rivero helped the defending champions Green Archers steady their ship this week after ending their first round on a sour note, as they lost to arch-rivals Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, 76-75.
The Green Archers tacked two straight wins this week to improve to a 6-2 slate, with Rivero averaging 20 points, three assists, and 3.5 steals.
Rivero said he had just tried to play straight defense and trusted that the offense would follow through as long as he got to the right spots.
“At first I always think of ways of helping the team and the coaches just told me to just stick to the game plan and they will find me on offense,” said Rivero.
“I’ll just do my job and they’ll help me get my offense going.”
Rivero had more impact in the Green Archers’ 75-73 victory over the Far Eastern University Tamaraws.
The second-year guard carried the offensive responsibilities for La Salle with 20 points, on 9-of-15 shooting, when Ben Mbala struggled the offensive floor on 5-of-16 shooting.
Rivero beat Mbala, Thirdy Ravena of Ateneo, and Mark Olayon of University of the East for the weekly plum given by the league’s beat writers from broadsheets, tabloids, and online publications.
