For the sixth straight season, a foreign student-athlete will be the Most Valuable Player in the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament.
University of the Philippines’ Malick Diouf topped the UAAP Season 85 Men’s Basketball Statistical Points race with 73.857 points.
Diouf, a sophomore in UP but a transferee out of Centro Escolar University, averaged 10.79 points, 10.86 rebounds, 2.86 assists, 1.57 blocks, and 1.5 steals per contest.
He becomes the sixth straight FSA to win the top individual award in the league. La Salle’s Ben Mbala (Seasons 79-80), UP’s Bright Akhuetie (81), UST’s Soulemane Chabi Yo (82), and Ateneo’s Angelo Kouame (84) came before him.
The UAAP changed the formula for this season, doubling the weight of assists and steals.
Diouf also becomes the fourth MVP from the school. Fort Acuna (1968), Eric Altamirano (1986), and Akhuetie (2018) came before him.
Joining Diouf in the Mythical Five are Ateneo’s Forthsky Padrigao (71.571 SPs), UE’s Luis Villegas (69.857), Ateneo’s Dave Ildefonso (64.929), and UP’s Carl Tamayo (63.429).
Angelo Kouame was third in the SP race with 70.786 SPs but he cannot be included in the All-UAAP team due to the league rule that each team cannot have more than one FSA in the sport. Kouame, despite being a naturalized Filipino, is still considered an FSA as his naturalization came by way of law.
La Salle’s Evan Nelle, meanwhile, was fifth in the race with 68.091 SPs but due to him being suspended for one game in the season, he is not eligible for any post-season award.
Green Archers rookie Kevin Quiambao is set to be named the Rookie of the Year with 56.615 (14th). He is ahead of batchmates Kean Baclaan of NU (51.0) and Gani Stevens of UE (44.214).
