UAAP: Kevin Quiambao on pace to become first local MVP in 8 years

La Salle’s Kevin Quiambao. –UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—La Salle sophomore big man Kevin Quiambao is on pace to become the first local to become UAAP MVP in eight years.

Quiambao is leading the statistical race at the end of the first round of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament with 84.714 stats points.

Through seven games, the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 16.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks as the Green Archers finished with a 4-3 record.

His closest competitor is the reigning MVP Malick Diouf of University of the Philippines with 78.143 SPs.

Quiambao, who won the Rookie of the Year in Season 85, could be the first Filipino player to win MVP after Ateneo star Kiefer Ravena’s back-to-back honors in 2014 and 2015.

The next six seasons were ruled by foreign student-athletes Ben Mbala of La Salle, Bright Akhuetie of UP, Soulemane Chabi-Yo of University of Santo Tomas, Ange Kouame of Ateneo, and Diouf last year.

The 22-year-old Gilas cadet is also on pace to be La Salle’s first MVP since Mbala, who won the top plum in two consecutive seasons in 2016 and 2017.

Quiambao’s teammate Evan Nelle is third in the race with 74.167 Sps in six games played. University of the East guard Noy Remogat comes in at fourth with 73.714 Sps, while Far Eastern University’s L-Jay Gonzales completes the top five with 66.429 Sps.

National U’s Kean Baclaan is No. 6 with 64.571 Sps, followed by Ateneo’s Kai Ballungay (64.286), UST’s Nic Cabañero (63.857), UE’s Precious Momowei (62.143), and UP’s JD Cagulangan (60.429) to round out the Top 10 statistical leaders of the first round.

Momowei leads the Rookie of the Year race, leading Ateneo’s Joseph Obasa (59.143 SPs), UP’s Francis Lopez (58.571 SPs), and Mason Amos (41.571).

Cabañero is currently the league leader in scoring with 20.6 points per game and in minutes in 34 minutes. Diouf topped the rebounding department with 14.7 per outing, while Remogat leads the league in assists with 7.3 a game.

Cagulangan leads the steals department averaging 1.9. Obasa topped the blocking race in the first round with 3.3 blocks per game.

UST Tiger Angelo Crisostomo was the most efficient shooter in the first round with 60% shooting from the field. UE’s Wello Lingolingo was 48.15% from the three-point line, while NU’s Steve Nash Enriquez was 87.5% from the free throw line.

The second round fires off on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena with La Salle facing UST at 11 a.m., followed by the clash between NU and UE.

Ateneo takes on FEU to kick off the afternoon games at 4 p.m., while UP seeks to bounce back against skidding Adamson at 6 p.m.