This season’s Rookie of the Year race has been a three-man show. But if National University’s ace rookie Dave Ildefonso were asked, the race is all but done depending on the interpretation of the rules.
This weekend alone, Ildefonso – who was 13th in the Most Valuable Player race to end the first round – scored a team-high 16 points to lead NU past the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 69-61.
On the other end, CJ Cansino, who was 7th to end the first round, gobbled down 18 rebounds to go along with eight points and five assists.
“Galing eh. Eighteen rebounds no? Eighteen rebounds, five assists, eight points,” shared the Batang Gilas standout. “Really great player talaga, sa rate na ginagawa niya ngayon, feeling ko siya na ang Rookie of the Year.
“He really deserves it.”
But just yesterday, Angelo Kouame became the first player since 2003 to notch a 30-20 game, finishing with 32 points and 27 rebounds to power Ateneo’s 82-62 win over FEU.
Kouame, an Ivorian student-athlete, just graduated from Multiple Intelligence International School last May. According to UAAP rules, any student-athlete who just graduated out of a Philippine-based high school is eligible to win the top freshman crown.
If that’s the case, Ildefonso believes that Kouame will be the runaway winner, hands down.
“Kung puwede si Ange, ‘wag na pag-usapan.”
Still, Ildefonso shares that seeing his peers compete at a high level makes him work harder to be better.
“He does really bring out the best in me,” shared Ildefonso about Cansino.
“Magaling na player eh, so you have to perform para at least magka-level kayo or he is just one step above.”
