DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Editor’s note: Bold denotes league leader
Aldrech Ramos (FEU)
Statistics: 10.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.3 spg, 1.9 bpg
Returning to a loaded front court, Ramos has kept his numbers around his Season 72 Defensive Player of the Year campaign. Despite FEU’s reputation as an offensive team, Ramos has held down the fort for the Tamaraw’s leading the league in blocks (1.9) and third in defensive rebounding. With team-mates like RR Garcia and Reil Cervantes dominating headlines, Ramos is oftentimes overlooked by the media, but every opposing player who finds an open lane in the Tamaraw defense knows to keep track of bean pole center unless they want their shot swatted away.
Emmanuel Mbe (NU)
Statistics: 11.4 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.4 spg, 1.1 bpg
The newly revamped NU Bulldogs now hound the paint better than any team in the UAAP—and they have the stats to prove it. First in points in the paint allowed (23.1), first in rebounds allowed (35.3), first in second chance points allowed (8.1). Key to this defensive philosophy is rookie import, Emmanuel Mbe who grabs up a league high 12.4 rebounds a game and blocking 1.1 shots a game—good for 5th in the league.
Kirk Long (Ateneo)
Statistics: 9.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.7 spg, 0.3 bpg
Long is one of those players that coaches love to sic on the opposing teams premier perimeter players. The American fights through more picks and screens—legal or otherwise—and plays more minutes (26.4) than any other Blue Eagle. A glutton for punishment, he comes down the court on the very next play to do it all over again. Half of the Ateneo starting backcourt which combines for four steals a game, and for a guard, Long is also a strong rebounder, averaging five a game.
well-researched. nice.
Rookie – Mbe (that’s NU not AdU)
Silungan’s good in his own right but he’s no bread-and-butter guy like Mbe. You can even claim that he can be a momentum-killer for his own team when he’s jacking up all those 3s.
6th Man – Camson
No-brainer. Salva’s handling his role-shift well, but he can not produce that much and Ateneo can still win. Camson with a poor performance provides a way bigger disadvantage for AdU. That talks volumes of a player’s value to the team. Salva’s a better player, but that’s not what the category’s all about.
Defensive – it’s a toss-up, but slight edge to Ramos I guess
Coach – Leo Austria
Who the hell thought they’d be this high up?
Just a quick question — does the UAAP choose the Mythical 5 based on stat points alone? Or is there a voting panel of experts or something 😕