Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — La Salle duo Ben Mbala and Jeron Teng headlined this year’s UAAP Mythical Five awardees.
Mbala and Teng raked in 92.4286 and 57.3333 statistical points (SP) respectively to top the elite list.
They are joined by University of the Philippines’ Paul Desiderio with 55.1429 SPs, Far Eastern University’s Raymar Jose with 53.6429 SPs, and Ateneo’s Thirdy Ravena with 49.1429 SPs. They received their award Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Mbala also bagged this season’s Most Valuable Player award.
He is the first foreign student-athlete to win the highest individual honor since Anthony Williams of the FEU Tamaraws claimed it way back in 1981.
The Cameroonian center finished the regular season with an average of 20.6 points, 16.0 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks. He led La Salle to a league-best record 13-1 at the end of the elimination round.
DLSU’s Aljun Melecio took home the Rookie of the Year honor. Jerrick Ahanmisi of the Soaring Falcons was ineligible to win this award after sitting out one academic year before he moved to Adamson University.
Ateneo’s Isaac Go won the Sportsmanship Award and Most Improved Player of the Season Award.
In the women’s division, National University’s Afril Bernardino won her second consecutive MVP plum with 91.8571 statistical points.
Bernardino was joined in the Mythical Five by teammates Jack Danielle Animan, and Gemma Miranda, together with La Salle’s April Peñaranda, and University of the East’s Love Sto. Domingo.
All the awards are based on overall statistical points.
Also recognized were Rio 2016 Olympians table-tennis ace Ian Lariba of La Salle and swimmer Jessie Khing Lacuna of Ateneo.
