THE San Beda Red Lions’ magical run in National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 got added dimension with forward Calvin Oftana winning the most valuable player award.
A do-it-all forward, Oftana averaged 15.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 blocks in the Lions’ unbeaten push in the elimination round to garner 51.56 Player Average Value (PAV), tops among the contenders for the MVP race.
Oftana beat out teammates Evan Nelle (45.39 PAV) and James Canlas (45.33) as well San Sebastian’s Allyn Bulanadi (45.28) and Lyceum’s Jaycee Marcelino (43.94) for the award.
The five make up the NCAA Season 95 mythical team.
Oftana is the first San Beda player to win NCAA MVP in nearly a decade after Sudan Daniel bagged the award in 2010.
San Beda’s Donald Tankoua, meanwhile, will receive the first, and last, best foreign player award in the NCAA.
Starting next season, the NCAA will no longer allow foreign student athletes on teams’ rosters.
The All-Defensive Team is composed of Oftana, Arellano’s Justin Arana, Perpetual Help’s Ben Adamos, Emilio Aguinaldo College’s JP Maguliano and San Sebastian’s JM Calma.
Letran’s Fran Yu is the most improved player.
The individual awardees will be feted on Nov. 15 prior to the start of Game Two of the NCAA finals.
Game One of the finals between reigning champion San Beda and rival Letran is tomorrow at the Mall of Asia Arena. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
