THE future is now.
In just her sophomore year, Kacey Dela Rosa, hailed as one of the future pillars of Gilas Pilipinas Women, was crowned the Most Valuable Player in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Basketball Tournament.
At only 19 years old, the 6-foot center has transformed the fortunes of Ateneo de Manila University, leading the Blue Eagles to back-to-back Final Four appearances after missing the semis for the past four seasons.
However, Dela Rosa stressed that she is not out for individual accolades.
“Masaya pero bonus lang itong individual award na ito kasi ang goal namin ay mag-champion talaga,” said Dela Rosa as Ateneo’s last championship in the sport came in Season 70 (2007).
Dela Rosa, last season’s Rookie of the Year, averaged 19.57 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.64 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game, accumulating 83.857 statistical points to win the MVP title—the first for Ateneo since Cassy Tioseco claimed the top honor in UAAP Seasons 69 and 70 (2006-07).
The runner-up to Dela Rosa is Far Eastern University’s Congolese center, Josee Kaputu.
Kaputu averaged 21.93 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 1.57 steals per game to amass 82.0 SPs.
Both student-athletes headline the Mythical Team, joined by UST’s Kent Pastrana (77.7 SPs), Ateneo’s Junize Calago (70.7), and UST’s Tantoy Ferrer (68.5).
Pastrana, the UAAP Season 82 Rookie of the Year and Mythical Team member when she was still with De La Salle University, averaged 17.64 points, 5.64 rebounds, 2.29 assists, and 3.0 steals per game.
Meanwhile, Calago, a sophomore guard who just like Dela Rosa came from Chiang Kai Shek, averaged 14.21 points, 8.36 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.07 steals in the elimination round.
Finally, Ferrer, the UAAP Season 81 Rookie of the Year and a graduating forward, put up numbers of 12.0 points, 7.07 rebounds, 2.79 assists, and 2.29 steals per game.
Favour Onoh was also crowned the Rookie of the Year.
The 18-year-old Nigerian center, who graduated from Carlos L. Albert High School in Quezon City earlier this year, averaged 10.07 points, 13.93 rebounds, 3.21 blocks, 1.29 steals, and 1.21 assists in the elimination round.
Onoh is the fourth Rookie of the Year to come out of UP after Camille Dowling (Season 62 – 1999), Sihaya Sadorra (Season 68 – 2005), and Justine Domingo (Season 80 – 2017).
