Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Workhorse Ben Mbala of La Salle is a cinch to clinch the Most Valuable Player award in the UAAP Season 79 men’s basketball tournament.
The 6-foot-8 Cameroonian topped the statistical race after netting double-double figures in all the Green Archers’ elimination-round games.
Mbala, the first Green Archer to capture the award since Don Allado in 1999, amassed 92.4286 statistical points (SPs) based on the figures released yesterday by Imperium Technology.
Instrumental in La Salle’s 13-1 record, Mbala averaged 20.6 points in 14 games as well as 16 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per outing.
Adamson center Papi Sarr, another Cameroonian who steered the Falcons to the Final Four, tallied 69.8571 SPs to finish second overall after posting 14.4 points and 14.9 rebounds per game.
Mbala duplicated the feat of American Anthony Williams of Far Eastern University in the early ’80s, the last foreigner to seize the MVP award.
La Salle’s Jeron Teng placed third with 57.3333 SPs followed by UP’s Paul Desiderio (55.1429) and FEU’s Raymar Jose (53.6429).
Jerrick Ahanmisi of Adamson topped the Rookie of the Year race with 44.5 SPs while teammate Rob Manalang placed second (37.4286).
Ahanmisi, a key piece in Adamson’s Final Four bid against top seed La Salle, tossed in 13.1 points and had 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists.