Cotabato’s Jau Umandal is the Spikers’ Turf MVP. –Spikers’ Turf Photo
MANILA, Philippines — Cotabato star Jau Umandal won his first Spikers’ Turf Most Valuable Player award on Friday at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Leading the Cotabato Spikers to the Open Conference Finals in the club’s first season, Umandal was crowned as the MVP in a tournament where he was part of the Top 10 in every skills department.
Cotabato lost to eventual Spikers’ Turf champion Cignal in the finals.
The University of Santo Tomas standout was the second-top scorer in the league with a total of 236 points. He was the third-best attacker with a 45.82% spiking rate, fourth in blocking with 0.47 blocks per set, and also No.4 in serving with 0.23 aces per frame.
LOOK: Cotabato star Jau Umandal is #SpikersTurf2023 Open Conference MVP while Cignal’s Marck Espejo is the Finals MVP. | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/ExYikdYFDE
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 31, 2023
Umandal showed tremendous floor defense this conference, emerging as the eighth Best Digger with 1.15 digs per set and also the No. 8 Best Receiver with a 41.94% efficiency rate.
The Philippine men’s volleyball team star was awarded by Spikers’ Turf president Alyssa Valdez and tournament director Mozzy Ravena.
Iloilo young star Jade Disquitado, who was the league’s top scorer with 293 points, was named as the 1st Best Outside Hitter, while Cignal’s Wendel Miguel received the 2nd Best Outside Hitter plum
Iloilo’s Jade Disquitado. –SPIKERS’ TURF
Another awardee from D’Navigators is JM Apolinario, who won the Best Setter plum after averaging 4.41 excellent sets per frame.
Cignal’s JP Bugaoan and Iloilo’s Mfena Gwaza were the Best Middle Blockers of the conference. Bugaoan, the No.6 Best Scorer in the league with 158 points, was the top blocker with 0.84 blocks per set, way ahead of Gwaza’s 0.59 blocks per frame.
Ysay Marasigan was named the Best Opposite Spiker after scoring a total of 110 points and being part of the top 10 in spiking, serving, and digging.
Manuel Sumanguid was the Best Libero after emerging as the top digger with 2.34 digs per set and the Best Receiver with a 60.30% efficiency rate.