UST’s Chabi Yo, Grace Irebu named UAAP MVPs in Season 82

MANILA, Philippines—University of Santo Tomas reaped the individual awards in both the UAAP Season 82 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

In the official tally released Wednesday, the Growling Tigers’ Soulemane Chabi Yo and the Tigresses’ Grace Irebu secured the MVP plums in men’s and women’s basketball while Chabi Yo’s teammate Mark Nonoy emerged as the season’s top rookie.

Chabi Yo, despite being an undersized center at 6-foot-4, garnered 76 statistical points throughout the eliminations while averaging 16.9 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists.

Nonoy, meanwhile, had 39.29 SPs while averaging 10 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists helping UST to an 8-6 record for the fourth seed in the tournament.

Irebu, who took her second straight MVP plum, tallied 90 SPs while leading the Tigresses to an 11-3 record for the second seed in the women’s tournament.

The double achievement by Chabi Yo and Nonoy is the first time since 2009 that teammates won the top individual awards in the men’s tournament.

Dylan Ababou and Jeric Teng were the MVP and Rookie of the Year, respectively, in Season 72 after leading the Growling Tigers to the fourth seed with a 6-8 record.

Chabi Yo and Irebu’s double MVP achievement was also the first time since 2013 that the two top players in both tournaments were schoolmates.

Terrence Romeo and Camille Sambile of Far Eastern University were the MVPs of Season 76.

Chabi Yo leads the men’s mythical team with La Salle duo Justine Baltazar (64 SPs), Jamie Malonzo (63.23 Sps), University of the Philippines’ Kobe Paras (62.08 SPs), and University of the East’s Rey Suerte (60.93 SPs).

Joining Irebu in the women’s mythical team are Adamson’s Nathalia Prado (86 SPs), former MVP Jack Danielle Animam of National University (78.57 SPs), FEU’s Claire Castro (66.64 SPs), and La Salle’s Kent Pastrana (57 SPs).