THE country’s current top players in basketball and football will be part of the honor roll in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Annual Awards Night on March 6 at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.

Barangay Ginebra guard Scottie Thompson is the recipient of the award for pro basketball, while Sarina Bolden receives the same honor in women’s football.

The 29-year-old Thompson, the reigning PBA MVP, is in great company as previous winners of the Mr. Basketball Award the past two decades include the likes of June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Mark Caguioa, JayJay Helterbrand, Jimmy Alapag, James Yap, Asi Taulava, Willie Miller, among others.

Bolden, the 25-year-old midfielder of Team Filipinas, meanwhile, will be the first ever to be cited Ms. Football by the country’s oldest media organization headed by its president Rey Lachica, sports editor of Tempo.

Thompson and Bolden make up the long list of top achievers in 2022 led by Athlete of the Year Hidilyn Diaz, who are going to be feted in the traditional gala night presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV and with major backing of the Philippine Olympic Committee, Mayor Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino, MILO, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Rain or Shine, 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, Philippine Basketball Association, OKBet, ICTSI, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Last season indeed, was a banner year for both Thompson and Bolden.

The two-way guard out of University of Perpetual Help won his first ever MVP trophy in Asia’s pioneering pro league after playing a major role in Ginebra retaining its Governors’ Cup championship.

The pride of Davao was also adjudged Finals MVP during the Kings’ title series against the Meralco Bolts, while emerging as Best Player of the Conference likewise for the very first time.

In between, Thompson also made himself available for the Philippine men’s basketball team that played in the windows of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

On the other hand, Bolden was instrumental in Team Filipinas punching a historic ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time ever by scoring the winning penalty against Chinese-Taipei, 4-3, in the quarterfinals of the AFC.

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