Kiefer Ravena of Ateneo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Kiefer Ravena may be on track as runaway winner of the UAAP Most Valuable Player award, but the Ateneo star doesn’t want to take sole credit for his sensational performance in the first round of the men’s basketball tournament.
“The confidence that I have, I just draw it from my teammates when they’re also playing well,” said Ravena, the senior guard who amassed a league-best 80.0 statistical points (SP).
Ravena, whose string of clutch performances included a career-high 38-point explosion, impressively led the league both in points (23.0 ppg) and assists (5.1 apg), while also ranking second in steals (1.4 spg).
“I still get nervous during games, but when your coaches and teammates are the first to trust you, it eases off the pressure,” said Ravena.
Ravena powered the Blue Eagles to the solo lead with a 6-1 record, while La Salle ace Jeron Teng, who finished a distant second with 61.71 SP, towed the Green Archers to a share of second at 5-2 with Far Eastern University and National University.
Teng emerged as the fourth-best scorer (15.0 ppg) and is fifth in assists (3.7 apg) and ninth in rebounds (7.3 rpg).
Two Ravena teammates earned a spot in the top 10 based on official numbers released yesterday by league statistician Imperium Technology and Smart Bro.
Ateneo’s Fil-Am guard Chris Newsome wound up third overall after posting notable averages in points (13.7 ppg), rebounds (7.7 rpg), assists (2.0 apg) and blocks (1.0 bpg) for a 60.42 SP.
The top rookie frontrunner is Ateneo’s Arvin Tolentino, a former San Beda high school sensation, who finished eighth overall with 53.42 SP built on averages of 12.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg and 1.0 bpg.
FEU’s improved forward Mac Belo claimed fourth spot with a 57.71 SP after ranking second in scoring at 16.6 ppg while averaging 5.4 rpg and 2.3 apg.
Rounding out the top 10 are University of Santo Tomas’ Karim Abdul (56.16 SP); NU’s Alfred Aroga (55.42 SP), the league-leader in rebounds (9.7 rpg) and blocks (2.3 bpg); FEU’s Mike Tolomia (55.14); NU’s Troy Rosario (53.28 SP) and La Salle’s Jason Perkins (50.0 SP).