Ben Mbala of the De La Salle University Green Archers will be named as the SMART Player of the Year during the Collegiate Basketball Awards to be held tonight, January 26 at the Montgomery Place Social Hall in E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City.
The Cameroonian center will receive the highest honor given by the group of scribes covering the collegiate beat for leading the Green Archers to their ninth UAAP championship while winning the league’s Most Valuable Player award.
He is the fourth player to claim the award, joining La Salle teammate Jeron Teng, former Ateneo star and two-time winner Kiefer Ravena, and ex-Far Eastern University standout Mac Belo.
Mbala and Teng are among the major awardees in the event backed by Smart, Accel, Mighty Sports, MJM Productions and Chooks to Go.
The Green Archers standouts will be joined by Mapua’s Allwell Oraeme, Arellano University’s Jio Jalalon, and San Beda’s Javee Mocon in the Mighty Sports Mythical Five.
Aldin Ayo and Jamike Jarin will also be given due recognition by sharing the Coach of the Year honors. Ayo was the architect of La Salle’s UAAP title run while Jarin steered San Beda to its ninth crown in 11 seasons.
University of the Philippines guard Paul Desiderio took the Chooks to Go Breakout Player, fellow Maroon Jett Manuel and Far Eastern University’s Raymar Jose were heralded with the Super Senior citations while Adamson center Papi Sarr took the Mr. Efficiency award.
