Malick Malick Diouf of University of the Philippines displays his trophies as MVP and Mythical Team member.. Photo by Ernie Sarmiento

UP’s Diouf is UAAP MVP

December 15, 2022 Theodore P. Jurado 479 views

SENEGAL’s Malick Diouf of University of the Philippines formally received the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball Most Valuable Player prior to Game 2 of the championship series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The 6-foot-11 Diouf, the Season 84 Finals MVP, carried the Fighting Maroons to a 11-3 record to finish second in the elimination round.

Diouf topped Ateneo’s Forthsky Padrigao and last season’s MVP Ange Kouame, for the highest individual award.

With 73.857 statistical points, Diouf will become the first Fighting Maroon to capture the season MVP award since Nigerian Bright Akhuetie in 2018.

He averaged 10.79 points, 10.86 rebounds, 2.86 assists, 1.57 blocks, and 1.5 steals during the elimination round.

Padrigao finished second with 71.571 SPs, while Kouame settled for third with 70.786.

Completing the Mythical Team are University of the East’s LA Villegas, who finished fourth with 69.9 SPs and UP’s Carl Tamayo, who tallied 63.4 SPs in fifth spot.

La Salle’s Kevin Quiambao, meanwhile, emerged as the Rookie of the Year, averaging 11.23 points, 6.54 rebounds, 3.23 assists, and 1.08 steals this season.

Quiambao easily clinched the award, as National University’s Kean Baclaan, who finished second in the statistical race, was disqualified due his ejection in a late second round game.

With some unfinished business after his school missed the Final Four bus, Quiambao later announced after the awards ceremony that he is coming back for the Green Archers in Season 86.

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