Centers of attention: Chabi Yo leads Kouame in tight race for UAAP MVP

University of Santo Tomas’ Soulemane Chabi Yo dunks the ball against Ateneo during their game in the first round of the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament at Araneta Coliseum. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Soulemane Chabi Yo of University of Santo Tomas and Angelo Kouame of Ateneo, two of the UAAP’s premiere big men, are neck-and-neck in the MVP race this Season 82.

Chabi Yo is currently on top of the MVP ladder at the end of the first round with 82.71 statistical points while Kouame is right behind with 81.43.

With Chabi Yo putting up big numbers, the Growling Tigers are headed into the second round of the season in third place with a 4-3 record.

Kouame, on the other hand, has been a big reason for the Blue Eagles’ undefeated run so far.

University of the Philippines’ Bright Akhuetie, the reigning MVP, is in third with 69 statistical points followed by his teammate Kobe Paras with 65.2 while University of the East’s Alex Diakhite completed the top five with 64.83.

In the bottom half of the top 10 are UE’s Rey Suerte (62.29), La Salle’s Jamie Malonzo (61.5) and Justine Baltazar (58.57), Ateneo’s Thirdy Ravena (57.71) and Adamson’s Lenda Douanga (56.86).

In the women’s division, another UST star in Grace Irebu is on track for a back-to-back MVP plum with a league-leading 95.57 statistical points.

Adamson’s Nathalia Prado comes second with 90.14 stats points while National University’s Jack Animam is a distant third with 75.57 followed by another Lady Bulldog in Rhena Itesi (74.29) and Far Eastern University’s Clare Castro (71.71) to round out the first five.