A legendary coach completes the 2015 awardees that will be feted in the Collegiate Basketball Awards presented by the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps and Smart Sports on Jan. 26 at Saisaki-Kamayan in Greenhills-EDSA.
The select group of scribes from both the newspaper and online realm are set to bestow former University of Santo Tomas and University of Perpertual Help System DALTA head coach Aric del Rosario with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Del Rosario joins former San Beda high school mentor Ato Badolato in the list of personalities who won the award for his major contributions as coach of UST’s UAAP four-peat run from 1993-1996 and his recently-concluded stint with University of Perpetual Help in the NCAA.
On the other hand, Arellano’s incoming super senior and Smart Elite ambassador Jio Jalalon, who averaged 18.83 points, a league-leading 9.61 assists and 6.94 rebounds, is set to receive the Accel Court General of the Year award.
San Beda’s Art dela Cruz and UST’s Ed Daquioag will also be feted with the Impact Player awards for leading their respective teams to the Finals of their respective leagues.
Dela Cruz averaged a whopping 19.72 points and 11.39 rebounds per game in his last tour of duty with the Red Lions. The second-generation athlete was second in the Most Valuable Race and was the instigator in San Beda’s run to the top seed of the NCAA Season 91 Men’s Basketball regular season.
Daquioag meanwhile set career-highs in his final year with the Growling Tigers. He posted norms of 16.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per contest in the regular season that paved the way for a twice-to-beat advantage for the Espana cagers. Unfortunately for Daquioag, a much-deeper FEU Tamaraws squad ended his collegiate career without a crown.
La Salle’s Jeron Teng will also be cited in the event supported by ACCEL Quantum-3XVI, Gatorade, UAAP Season 78 host University of the Philippines, NCAA Season 91 host Mapua, San Miguel Corporation and the Philippine Sports Commission. Teng will receive the Gatorade Energy Player award for the grit and hustle he displayed during the UAAP Season.
Composing the Collegiate Mythical Five are Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena, Mapua’s Allwell Oraeme, Far Eastern University’s Mac Belo, UST’s Kevin Ferrer and Perpetual’s Scottie Thompson. They are also candidates for the Smart Player of the Year award.
Other awardees are FEU’s Roger Pogoy and Letran’s Kevin Racal (Pivotal Player) and San Beda’s Baser Amer, Letran’s Mark Cruz and FEU’s Mike Tolomia (Super Senior).
