Codiñera supports move to tweak NCAA awards process

Arellano head coach Jerry Codiñera. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Arellano coach Jerry Codiñera, whose player, Jio Jalalon, was the only Filipino to win an award in the NCAA this season, welcomed the move to change the selection process for the mythical first team, following a season where local players were almost shut out of honors in Season 92.

A stalwart in the pro league, before coaching in the collegiate ranks, Codiñera believes tweaking the selection process by awarding players who have the best statistics in playing their positions will once again open up opportunities for locals to win honors.

“Yes, imports are there to upgrade the level of play, but changing the selection process (by selecting by position) will give more chances to Filipino players to also win awards,” Codiñera told the Inquirer.

Nigerian Allwell Oraeme of Mapua bagged his second straight Most Valuable Player award on top of Defensive Player of the Year.

Joining him and Jalalon in the mythical five were fellow Nigerian Bright Akhuetie of Perpetual Help and Cameroonians Donald Tankoua of San Beda and Hamadou Laminou of Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Except for the 5-foot-10 Jalalon, all the players in the mythical five play the center position for their teams.

The NCAA Season 92 Mythical Five Team.

Lyceum’s Mike Nzeusseu, a Cameroonian, was also named Rookie of the Year, while Arnold Noah of San Beda capped the bumper year for imports by leading the Red Lions in the two-game sweep of Arellano in the championship round, earning Finals MVP honors.

Aside from the proposal to select members of the mythical five by position, NCAA Mancom chair Mari Lacson of San Beda said the league is also planning to award a best import winner for the top foreign player starting next season.

Just like the UAAP, the league allows only one foreign player on the court at a time.

But the NCAA has actually agreed to put a stop to the recruitment of foreign players two seasons ago and the last batch of imports may play until the 2019 season if they go through the full five-year limit.

“It was bound to happen,” said Codiñera, referring to the trend where imports dominate the league. “Our Filipino players just need to do better. Look at Jalalon, he still managed to make the mythical team even with the presence of the imports.”