For the second straight season, De La Salle University’s Cameroonian student-athlete Ben Mbala will be running away with the Most Valuable Player plum.
Mbala, 22, is miles ahead in the overall statistical points race with a whopping 96.58 SPs. The 6-foot-7 big man averages a league-leading 26.0 points, 13.1 rebounds (2nd), 1.3 steals (6th), and 2.5 blocks (2nd) to end the elimination round.
Thirdy Ravena trails behind with a 66.5 total SPs. The second-generation cager posted norms of 14.4 points (5th), 8.4 rebounds (9th), and 3.3 assists (7th).
Because of his spectacular second round, J-jay Alejandro of National University jumped to third with a total of 63.85 SPs. In his final year, he averaged 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.3 steals.
University of the East’s scoring sensation Alvin Pasaol will take home his first-ever individual award as well with 63.42 SPs. The stucky forward posted norms of 20.6 points (2nd).
Foreign student-athletes Papi Sarr of Adamson (63.15 SPs), Issa Gaye of NU (57.57), and Steve Akomo of UST (56.76) follow suit, but are not eligible to make it to the top five as they play the same position as Mbala.
With this, completing the All-UAAP team is La Salle sophomore Ricci Rivero. Rivero compiled averages of 14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.7 steals this season for 56.28 SPs.
Juan Gomez De Liano of the University of the Philippines is this year’s top rookie, raking 14th in the SP race with a total of 46.69. The former UAAP Juniors MVP averaged 11.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
