The Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals, despite falling from the Final Four for the second straight year, have a reason to celebrate this season.
20-year-old Nigerian big man Allwell Oraeme is set to win his second straight Most Valuable Player crown this season. The Mapua big man was able to stave off Arellano floor general Jiovani Jalalon by a huge margin in the Player Average Value points race, 65.12 PAVs to 57.50 for Jalalon.
Oraeme posted norms of 16.0 points, 20.0 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game in the 18 games he played.
Rounding out the All-NCAA team this season are Perpetual’s big man Bright Akhuetie (56 PAV), San Beda’s big man Donald Tankoua (51.55), and EAC’s Hamadou Laminou (49.06).
Tankoua also edged out Laminou to take home this year’s Most Improved Player plum.
Nigerian Mike Nzeusseu of the Lyceum Pirates is set to take home the rookie of the year crown.
Finally, the all-defensive team for this season will be entirely composed foreign student-athletes. Oraeme, Nzeusseu, Laminou, Akhuetie, and Tankoua make up the team. EAC’s Sidney Onwubere would have made the team, as he has tied Tankoua with 12.27 defensive PAVs. However, Onwubere was disqualified for being ejected from a game.
The report was first published by ABS-CBN Sports.
