Ateneo’s Kacey Dela Rosa wins UAAP women’s basketball MVP

Ateneo’s Kacey Dela Rosa.–UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Kacey Dela Rosa became the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ first UAAP women’s basketball Most Valuable Player in 16 years.

The sophomore center topped the statistical race to capture the top individual award in the Season 86 women’s basketball tournament with 83.86 statistical points (SPs), edging runner-up Josee Kaputu of Far Eastern University, who garnered 82.0 SPs.

Dela Rosa, last year’s Rookie of the Year, is the latest Blue Eagle to win the MVP after Cassy Tioseco’s back-to-back runs in 2006 and 2007.

Dela Rosa averaged 19.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks to lead Ateneo to its second straight Final Four appearance before getting eliminated by the twice-to-beat defending champion National University.

Kacey Dela Rosa.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Dela Rosa and Kaputu led the Mythical team with University of Santo Tomas star Kent Pastrana, who was third in the race with 77.71 SPs, Ateneo’s Junize Calago (70.71), and another Growling Tigress Tantoy Ferrer (68.57).

Favour Onoh, who led University of the Philippines to bronze, won the Rookie of the Year as she was fourth and the top-performing freshman in the statistical race with 72.71 SPs. She didn’t make it to the Mythical Team as only one foreign student-athlete is eligible to be part of the selection.

National U’s Stef Berberabe (63.09) and Karl Pingol (62.79) placed sixth and seventh, respectively. Ateneo graduating guard Jhazmin Joson was ninth with 62.07 SPs, while her teammate Sarah Makanjuola completed the top ten with 61.93 SPs.

Dela Rosa and the other awardees will receive their trophies on Sunday in Game 2 of the NU-UST Finals at Smart Araneta Coliseum.