MANILA -- The blessings keep on coming in for the University of the Philippines.
After making a return to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men's basketball semifinals after a long drought, its transfer big man, Bright Akhuetie, is set to receive the season's Most Valuable Player award.
As per the stats after the elimination round, the six-foot-seven behemoth got a total of 82.5 statistical points, more than six SP's ahead of second placer Angelo Kouame of Ateneo, who got 76.2.
Akhuetie will become the first Fighting Maroon to win the league's top individual prize since Eric Altamirano won it in 1986, the year UP last won the UAAP title.
Completing the Top 5 are University of the East's Alvin Pasaol (74.57), Akhuetie's fellow Fighting Maroon Juan Gomez de Liaño (63.86), and La Salle's Justine Baltazar (61.29).
While Kouame made the Top 5 in SP's, he is not eligible to be a member of the Mythical Five due to a rule stating that only one foreign student-athlete can make the Mythical 5, in this case, Akhuetie, who has transitioned from being Perpetual Help's offensive beast to one of UP's leaders in its run to the Final Four.
The said development means Adamson's Jerrick Ahanmisi, who was ranked sixth in SP's with 58.38, will join Akhuetie, Pasaol, Gomez De Liano, and Baltazar in the Mythical Five.
Kouame will not go empty-handed, though, as he will be named the Rookie of the Year. (PNA)
