KEVIN Quiambao of La Salle is poised to become the first local player to clinch the season MVP award in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament.

Quiambao, last season’s Rookie of the Year winner, led the statistical points race at the end of double-round eliminations with 97.0 statistical points (SPs).

The 22-year-old Muntinlupa native made a rare feat of recording two triple-doubles in one season and maintained an impressive average of 16.71 points, 10.86 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.93 steals per game for the Green Archers, who made it to the Finals for the first time since 2017.

The first La Salle MVP since Cameroon’s Ben Mbala won in 2016, Quiambao also became the first local player since Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena, who won back-to-back in 2015, to receive the highest individual honors.

The Blue Eagles’ Kacey dela Rosa, meanwhile, will be awarded as the women’s MVP as the Season 87 top rookie logged 83.857 SPs.

The Fighting Maroons’ first-year sensations Francis Lopez and Nigeria’s Favour Onoh are set to claim the Rookie of the Year in their respective divisions.

The individual awarding ceremonies will be held on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Joining Quiambao in the Mythical Team are University of the East’s Noy Remogat (85.929 SPs), La Salle’s Evan Nelle (77.538), UP’s last season’s MVP Malick Diouf (74.769) and Far Eastern University’s LJay Gonzales (66.857).

Leading Ateneo to its second straight Final Four appearance, Dela Rosa normed 19.57 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.64 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game.

Dela Rosa bested FEU’s Josee Kaputu (82), University of Santo Tomas’ Kent Pastrana (77.714), UP’s Onoh (72.714) and Ateneo’s Junize Calago (70.714).

AUTHOR PROFILE

Theodore P. Jurado