Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—The country’s best and brightest young stars in the field of basketball and volleyball were hailed in the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night.
And no one personified excellence more than Thirdy Ravena, who led the Ateneo Blue Eagles to their second consecutive UAAP title.
Ravena, who was named Collegiate Player of the Year, bannered the top performers in the UAAP Season 81 that had no shortage of historical relevance in both sports.
“It’s such a great feeling and a great motivation for me to keep working hard because I have one more year left in college and I’m trying to make the most out of my collegiate stint so hopefully, we get it again next [season],” said Ravena Monday at Amelie Hotel.
The 22-year-old Ravena also headed the All-Collegiate Team with Bright Akhuetie, Paul Desiderio, Robert Bolick and Prince Eze.
Akhuetie, who was the UAAP Season 81 MVP, and Desiderio led University of the Philippines to its first Final Four appearance since 1997 and first finals trip in 32 years.
Eze, the University of Perpetual Help big man, took home the NCAA Season 94 MVP honors while Bolick closed out his collegiate career with another championship for San Beda.
Volleyball’s finest were also feted for the first time as Cherry Rondina of University of Santo Tomas and Regine Arocha of Arellano University were recipients of the Volleyball Player of the Year plum.
Rondina spearheaded the Golden Tigresses’ return to glory when they ended an eight-year finals drought while Arocha was at the forefront of the Lady Chiefs’ NCAA championship run.
“I’m honored and overwhelmed to be given this award and I did not expect this at all,” said Rondina.
The spotlight also fell on the National University Lady Bulldogs, the reigning five-time UAAP women’s basketball champions and owners of the longest winning streak in the league.
The untouchable Lady Bulldogs received the Award of Excellence after ending their season with 80 consecutive victories.
Ateneo’s Ange Kouame and San Beda’s Javee Mocon were recipients the Pivotal Player plums, Adamson’s Sean Manganti and Lyceum’s CJ Perez took home Impact Player citations while Red Lions’ mentor Boyet Fernandez and Blue Eagles’ tactician Tab Baldwin were recognized as Coaches of the Year.