NCAA: Mapua surges early thanks to Player of the Week Paolo Hernandez

Mapua’s Paolo Hernandez.–NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Mapua solidified itself as a top-tier team in the second week of the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament, thanks in large part to Paolo Hernandez.

Hernandez, who helped the Cardinals slay Emilio Aguinaldo College and College of St. Benilde, earned this week’s Collegiate Press Corps’ Player of the Week.

In Mapua’s victories over the Generals and the Blazers, Hernandez was the sniper who hit the clutch baskets to power the squad to a 4-1 card this season.

The 6-foot-3 swingman, though, made sure to give credit to his teammates for his late-game heroics.

“Those shots that I made, those are because of my teammates. It was because of Clint’s (Escamis) assists, our big men’s box outs, all of those, that was all of us,” said Hernandez.

“We just stayed composed and trusted our coaches and teammates. We have trust in one another.”

The Mapua veteran posted norms of 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game to put the Cardinals in a two-way tie for the second seed with Jose Rizal University.

Hernandez bested fellow Cardinal Clint Escamis, Lyceum’s Mclaude Guadana and John Barba and JRU’s Agem Miranda for the weekly honor presented by San Miguel Corporation.