When UAAP Season 84 tipped off this past weekend, it opened the floodgates of school spirit and excitement that we’ve all been keeping deep inside for the past two years.
COVID-19 robbed us of so much ever since the first lockdown was declared in March 2020, and one of the major collective experiences that Filipinos were denied was the spectacle that is the UAAP.
This is why seeing all eight schools play on opening day was both surreal and proper — it was only right that as we gradually emerge from the pandemic, we see not just two or four schools see the hardcourt on opening day. It was only right that we see all eight of them.
Having said that, however, there were certainly some standout performances from Day 1 that definitely turned a lot of heads, and I’m here to share my thoughts on the very best from opening weekend.
Take note that the following Gameday Awards are based purely on numbers. It’s not a perfect basis, sure, but it mitigates the influence of bias and subjectivity. And with that, here are the players that excelled and maybe even surprised on Day 1.
Playmaker of the Day:
SJ Belangel (ADMU) – 5asts, 0 TOs
Honorable Mention: Clint Escamis (UE) – 8asts, 4 TOs
– This Gilas Pilipinas guard struggled with his shot all game long against UP, but he more than made up for it by being a splendid playmaker, handing out 5 assists while not turning the ball over even once. That makes him just a little bit better than UE’s Clint Escamis, who led all players with 8 assists but also turned the ball over 4 times.
Offensive Player of the Day:
Raffy Verano (ADMU) – 18pts, 2asts, 2orebs, 8/10 FG, 1/1 3pt, 1/1 FT
Honorable Mention: Didat Hanapi (ADU) – 20pts, 3 triples, 6/6 2P
– In his first game back from missing the entirety of UAAP S82, the undersized Raffy Verano made his presence felt, and how! He shot excellently from the field and was active both as a decoy and as a rebounder. Verano continues to confound much bigger, longer, and more athletic foes, and it’ll be interesting to see the kind of production we’ll see from him moving forward.
Defensive Player of the Day:
Lenda Douanga (ADU) – 9drebs, 5blks
Honorable Mention: Ange Kouame (ADMU) – 10drebs, 1stl, 1blk
– Adamson may have lost a close one to NU, but they did have some bright spots. One of them was foreign student-athlete Leda Douanga, who was a bona fide bulwark, collaring 9 defensive rebounds and blocking 5 Bulldog attempts. Props also to Ateneo’s Ange Kouame, whose 10 defensive boards led all players on opening weekend.
Gameday Mythical Five
Deschon Winston (DLSU) – 22pts, 6rebs, 1ast, 3stls, 1 triple
– Gotta love Winston’s game. The Fil-American was terrific in his UAAP debut, being efficient on both ends of the floor. He can drive, he can shoot, he can play D, and he can even crash the boards. Seems like he’s the complete package, though we’ll see if he can replicate this production against more fancied foes.
Didat Hanapi (ADU) – 20pts, 5rebs, 2 triples
– I coached against Hanapi in high school, and trust me, this performance took me by surprise. That’s not to say Hanapi isn’t talented. On the contrary, he’s always been highly skilled, but he’s always had to play second or third fiddle to other players as a Baby Falcon. Not on opening weekend, though, as he was perfect from the 2-point area, helping the Falcons almost pull the rug from under the Bulldogs.
Raffy Verano (ADMU) – 18pts, 5rebs, 2asts, 1stl, 1 triple
– Verano reminds me so much of Big Mike Nieto, especially in how he throws his center of gravity around to compensate for the inches he’s giving up and how he manages to score in the most baffling of ways. Like Mike, Raffy — at least on paper — should not put up big numbers at this level, but also like Mike, Raffy is just scrappy and smart enough to find ways to do so.
Lenda Douanga (ADU) – 11pts, 13rebs, 5blks
– Four guys registered double-doubles on opening weekend, but Douanga was, by far, the most impressive. He efficiently scored, aggressively rebounded, and perhaps most importantly, bravely defended the rim against constant NU incursions. It’s a pity Adamson fell short, but it’s clear that Douanga has the potential to be one of the most dominant inside operators this season.
CJ Cansino (UP) – 21pts, 5rebs, 3stls, 3 triples
– Many people expected these numbers from one Ricci Rivero, but maybe not so much from Cansino, who is obviously no slouch himself. The former UAAP S80 Juniors MVP showed flashes of greatness against the Blue Eagles, hitting 3 treys en route to an explosive 21 points. I don’t think he’ll soon supplant Carl Tamayo or even Rivero as the primary scoring options for coach Goldwin Monteverde, but he certainly has the green light to take over as a key member of UP’s supporting cast.
Gameday MVP:
Deschon Winston (DLSU) – 22pts, 6rebs, 1ast, 3stls, 1 triple
– Winston was just wonderful for the Green Archers, and yes, it’s only the first game and yes, it’s against UE, but don’t let any of that detract from clear fact — the California native can ball. Consistency may still be up in the air, but the potential is palpable if not undeniable. If coach Derrick Pumaren can continue to find ways to maximize Schonny’s gifts, we may see them not just as a pretender but maybe (just maybe) rise alongside the serious title contenders of the UAAP.
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