Quiambao wins second straight MVP award in UAAP Season 87
KEVIN QUIAMBAO of reigning champion De La Salle University added to his legend with a second straight Most Valuable Player (MVP) plum in the UAAP Season 87, joining an elite list of multiple winners in collegiate basketball history.
The versatile forward topped the statistical race with 81.357 points after the two-round eliminations as the Green Archers shored up their title retention bid with a No. 1 seed finish at 12-2.
Mr. Quiambao averaged a league-best 16.64 points, 8.64 rebounds, 4.07 assists and 1 steal in 30 minutes of play to further stamp his status as the country’s best collegiate player today.
He joined Ben Mbala (2016, 2017), Don Allado (1998, 1999), Mark Telan (1996, 1997) and Jun Limpot (1989, 1990, 1992) as multiple MVP winners in La Salle history. A Gilas Pilipinas standout, Mr. Quiambao also became the first local player to win back-to-back MVPs since Kiefer Ravena of Ateneo de Manila University in 2016 and 2017.
Mr. Quiambao will be officially awarded with the league’s highest individual award in the finals, where La Salle, with a twice-to-beat advantage, hopes to reach once more pending a Final Four duel against No. 4 seed Adamson.
He nosed out teammate Michael Phillips, who had 74.928 points behind a double-double averages of 12 points and 11.57 rebounds laced by 1.71 steals and 1.07 blocks.
Also finishing in the Top Five were JD Cagulangan (69.167) of host University of the Philippines (UP), Far Eastern University big man Mo Konateh (68.643) and Precious Momowei (67.538) of University of the East.
Mr. Momowei, however, stands to lose his spot in the Mythical Team, due to a one-game suspension from two unsportsmanlike fouls in the eliminations that would make him ineligible for an individual award.
Expected to get in his place is ace guard Nic Cabañero, who fired 16.29 points, 5.43 rebounds and 1.93 assists for 61 SPs to lead University of Santo Tomas to its first Final Four appearance in five years.
Mr. Cagulangan normed a league-best 1.75 steals plus 11.75 points and 5 assists while Mr. Konateh topped the rebounding and blocking department with 16.71 rebounds and 2.36 blocks plus 10.21 points.
Meanwhile, it’s also a back-to-back feat for Ateneo’s Kacey Dela Rosa in women’s basketball after collecting 96.286 points on averages of league-best 22.07 points, 16 rebounds and 2.29 blocks.
Joining her in the Mythical Team were Santo Tomas’ Kent Pastrana (79.857), UP’s Louna Ozar (67.571), Junize Calago (67) and Sarah Makanjuola (65.786) of Ateneo. — John Bryan Ulanday
