Kieffer Alas is UAAP HS hoops MVP; Collins Akowe is Best FSA

De La Salle Santiago Zobel's Kieffer Alas was named the UAAP Season 87 juniors basketball Most Valuable Player on Thursday after topping all locals in the statistical points race.

The 17-year-old, 6-foot-2 winger finished second overall in statistics with 91.429 SPs and averages of 20.07 points, 11.14 rebounds, 4.93 assists, and 1.07 steals per game as he led DLSZ to a 6-8 win-loss record.

The Alabang-based squad, however, missed the Final Four as it finished sixth in the standings.

“Masakit to not make it to the Final Four pero at least may positives to this season,” said Alas.

“I'll just use this as fuel for my future.”

National University Nazareth School's Collins Akowe, meanwhile, received the league's first-ever Best Foreign Student-Athlete award.

The UAAP last February announced that the Best FSA, which they started implementing this season, will be given to a foreign student-athlete who will top the MVP race in sports where performance metrics are recorded.

Akowe topped the SPs race with 105.786 SPs and had averages of 20.79 points, 19.21 rebounds, 2.71 assists, and 1.79 blocks per game to lead NUNS.

Joining Alas and Akowe in the Mythical Team are FEU-Diliman’s Cabs Cabonilas (90.071 SPs), Adamson’s Mark Esperanza (76.385 SPs), and UP Integrated School’s Ethan Egea (66.643 SPs).

In the girls' division, Barby Dajao of the University of Santo Tomas won the MVP award.

Dajao averaged 15.17 points, 10.17 rebounds, 6.17 assists, and 4.33 steals per game to get 105.5 SPs.

"Thankful ako sa mga awards na ito. Thankful din ako sa family ko at sa teammates ko at coaches ko. Wala ako dito kung wala ang guidance nila. Itutuloy ko lang ito hanggang sa maabot ko pangarap ko," said the 19-year old Dajao.

Dajao is joined by DLSZ’s Erica De Luna (102.167 SPs), UST’s Rhiane Perez (98.25 SPs), NUNS’s Aubrey Lapasaran (91.167 SPs), and UST’s Katrina Insoy (68.667 SPs) in the Mythical Team.

NUNS’s Zaydhen Rosano, who finished second in the MVP race (105.167 SPs), was disqualified from receiving an individual award due to a disqualifying foul she incurred at the end of the elimination round against UST.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News