Allen Liwag claims back-to-back NCAA Seniors MVP honors

For the second consecutive season, Allen Liwag has been crowned the NCAA’s top player.

The 6-foot-6 native of Alfonso, Cavite, was named the NCAA Season 101 Seniors Basketball Most Valuable Player on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Liwag, the star big man for Saint Benilde, played in only seven of the 13 group phase games. However, the NCAA requires a minimum of just 50% of games played to be eligible for a post-season award.

The transferee from Emilio Aguinaldo College led the player average value (PAV) race with 49.0, topping the field with averages of 14.61 points, 11.28 rebounds, 2.33 assists, and 1.22 blocks per game.

In addition to his MVP honors, Liwag was named to the Mythical Team and the All-Defensive Team. He was absent from the awards ceremony as he is currently in Thailand for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.

Liwag was the final cut from Norman Black’s Gilas Pilipinas lineup and was replaced by Poy Erram.

The rest of the Mythical Team includes Jonathan Manalili of Letran, Jhuniel Dela Rama of San Sebastian, Janti Miller of San Beda, and Kevin Santos of Letran.

Miller was also absent, as he was serving a suspension for Game 2 of the NCAA Seniors Basketball Finals.

Manalili, who posted 46.23 PAVs, was also named Freshman and Rookie of the Year.

Dela Rama earned the Defensive Player of the Year award, with the rest of the All-Defensive Team composed of Santos, Ivan Panapanaan of Jose Rizal, and Cyrus Nitura of Mapua.

In the juniors division, Sean Franco of Arellano University was named both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year after accumulating 53.00 PAVs.

Franco was joined in the Mythical Team by Rookie of the Year Josef Calo-oy of La Salle Green Hills, Kelly Coronel of EAC-ICA, Jhillian Palis of Malayan, and Pat Pasinos of LSGH.

Franco also made the All-Defensive Team alongside Pasinos, the Mapua duo of MJ Bernabe and John Bagro, Coronel, and Browyn Tepan of San Sebastian.

Finally, Arellano’s Renzo Abierra (seniors) and Laurence Pillas (juniors) were recognized as the Most Improved Players of the season.