Ateneo’s foreign student-athlete, Ange Kouame, was named the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball tournament Most Valuable Player after he collected 71.188 SPs at the end of the double round-robin elimination round.
The 6-foot-11 center has been pivotal for the Blue Eagles with his averages of 12.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals.
He will be the first Ateneo player to win the prestigious award since prolific guard Kiefer Ravena achieved the feat back in 2014 and 2015.
Meanwhile, the University of the Philippines’ Cebuano big man Carl Tamayo is set to be named the UAAP’s Rookie of the Year after a spectacular season that saw him amass 58.176 statistical points for the Fighting Maroons.
The 6-foot-7 Talisay City, Cebu native posted stellar numbers of 13 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals to help UP grab the second seed after the elimination round. The Fighting Maroons eventually won over La Salle in the semifinals and are now just a victory away from capturing their very first UAAP men’s basketball championship since 1986.
He beat out La Salle’s energetic forward Michael Phillips, who had 55.688 SPs.
Completing the UAAP Mythical Five are Kouame, Tamayo and his fellow super rookie from UP, Zavier Lucero, and Philips and his La Salle teammate, Justine Baltazar.
The awards will be given right before Game Two of the UAAP finals on Wednesday.
