The 2016 PBA DLeague Foundation Cup Most Valuable Player is soon to be crowned.
The announcement for this conference’s MVP is set to take place this Tuesday, August 23, before Game 2 of the Finals series between Phoenix Accelerators and Tanduay Rhum Masters.
And the race for the coveted award is a tight one; three amateurs have stood out for their respective teams — Mike Tolomia, Carl Cruz, and Jonathan Grey.
The Tamaraw guard, through his steady play all throughout the Foundation Cup that saw him lead Phoenix to the Finals, posted norms of 19.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.7 assists, making him the top favorite to win the plum.
However, Tolomia’s road to the top individual award won’t be a walk in the park, as Café France Bakers’ Carl Bryan Cruz and Racal Tile Masters’ Jonathan Grey also proved themselves as legitimate MVP contenders.
Cruz, a fellow FEU alumnus of Tolomia and a two-time UAAP silver medalist, has not only proven that he can steer Café France as their team captain, but also showed that he can sit atop the ranks, leading the locals in scoring with 15.9 points.
The Benildean Grey has become Racal’s lynchpin on offense, as his conference averages of 14.9 points and 2.9 assists made him the Tile Masters’ leading scorer. His excellent showing helped the team clinch the tourney”s top seed heading into the playoffs.
Both Cruz and Grey have strong cases for the award. However, their respective teams bowed out and lost in the semifinals stage, making Tolomia’s chances of being named MVP much stronger.
The MVP race also includes Tolomia’s teammate in Phoenix Ed Daquioag, Café France point guard Paul Zamar, Racal’s Philip Paniamogan, and Tanduay backcourt partners Gelo Alolino and Reden Celda.
