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UAAP Layup Lines - Season 76 awards


The two elimination rounds of UAAP Season 76 are in the books, and on the eve of the Final Four, the Layup Lines crew has gathered once again to hand out some awards.

Last time we did this, it was after the first round, with Terrence Romeo, Nash Racela, Ingrid Sewa, Arnold Van Opstal, Chris Newsome and Kyles Lao getting feted. After seven more games per side, will our panel agree with their old picks, or have new names emerged?

The Layup Lines crew consists of:


Agree or disagree with their picks? Let us know in the comments.


Layup Lines Rookie of the Year:
(Editor's note: we allowed both "true" freshmen and general first-timers in the UAAP for this award, contrary to the normal process)



Why Perkins?

Job - This guy is a match-up problem and so far, teams haven't figured out how to deal with his combination of range and low-post presence.

Carla - He does a little bit of everything. He gets rebounds, he's a steady shooter and he can knock down the occasional triple when needed. Rookies don't usually become go-to guys, but Perkins makes it look easy-peasy.

Polo - La Salle's Z-Bo is the best pure power forward in the UAAP. Bar none.

Why Newsome?

Nico - I was torn between Newsome and Perkins - two key additions by rival schools that helped their team's causes. The difference is that while one, Perkins, was focused on two things: offense and rebounding, the other was a more complete player. Newsome was one of the league's better rebounders, he was an above-average offensive player and at the same time, a monster defensive player who matched up with players of all sizes.

Chuck - Chris Newsome stood tall as the most compelling and exciting new face to enter the UAAP world this year. The new guy ended up leading Ateneo in 2pt percentage, free throw attempts, points and rebounds and "ooooooooohhhhhhhh!!!!" moments. With such an exciting campaign, odds are that Chris Awesome can build on his freaky athleticism and round out the rest of his game, heading into next season

 

 



Layup Lines Defensive Player of the Year



Why Mammie?

Job - Sige, lumapit ka.

Aaron - This guy gobbles up rebounds just as casually as PacMan eats those dots in the screen. Haven't seen anyone average 19 boards a game since I started following the league 10 years ago.

Polo - Mammie's got your back. That's why the rest of the Red Warriors are free to gamble on D.

Carlo - I guess I really just wanted to give Mammie something. It sucks for him that the suspensions cost him an MVP award. However, this is not just a token prize because Mammie is the biggest reason for UE's turnaround. Roi Sumang is a tremendously talented player on offense but Mammie is the anchor on D.

Why Mbe?

Nico - His team has the best defense in the league, allowing just 84.6 points per 100 possessions, the best mark in the league. A big part of that is Mbe's presence as a space-eating, shot-altering, rim-protecting center.

Why Abdul?

Renee - Remember when Abdul almost became MVP if not for his suspension? Not only is he the top-scoring big man in the league, Abdul also registers 12 boards and two blocks, while clogging the lane against opposing bigs and streaky guards, all while committing only an average of two fouls a game.


Layup Lines Most Improved Player of the Year



Why Daquioag?

Job - This guy does mean things when he sees a path to the rim. He edges AVO in my book because unlike DLSU's center, nobody saw this coming.

Why Belo?

Aaron - The sophomore upped his numbers from 4.2 PPG and 2.9 RPG to 9.0 PPG and 7.5 RPG while becoming Coach Racela's most reliable big man when given the minutes, posting better averages than Anthony Hargrove or super-senior Carl Bryan Cruz.

Why Van Opstal?

Renee - With Yutien Andrada out, AVO improved his 5 points and 4 rebounds in 17 minutes to 9 points and 6 rebounds in 23 mins this year. He also holds a 50 percent shooting clip with almost a block a game to boot. The Lasallians may already be having sweet dreams imagining a 5th year AVO playing twin towers with Ben Mbala.
 

 



Layup Lines Coach of the Year



Why Racela?

Favian - There was one play that stood out in FEU's blowout win over UP. With the victory secured in the waning seconds, Racela tapped one of his own players on the back and instructed him not to shoot a no-bearing three. That is classy sportsmanship written all over a simple gesture.

Carlo -  A case can be made for any of the coaches in the top three. I think that Racela should get the nod though because his current team is weaker than the FEU squads a year or even two years ago. Racela had to manage egos as well as playing time, but he still lead his team to a share of the top spot.

Chuck -  I'm still sticking with Nash Racela regardless of what position FEU ends up at. Sure they didn't go undefeated to end the season, but they survived suspensions and Terrence Romeo endgame meltdowns to still end the regular season with a shot at a second seat. They stuck together when many thought they would unravel, and I give a lot of the credit to the quiet confidence of Racela.

Why Sauler?

Carla - This rookie head coach (in the UAAP seniors division) has proven to be the perfect fit for the Green Archers, leading them to a sweep of the second round. DLSU's line-up in the past few years has always been full of talent, but Coach Juno knew the right buttons to push after a disappoint 3-4 start.

Why Altamirano?

Polo - You might mistake NU for the Korean National team. Their execution is that impeccable.

Nico - His team has [a share of] the best record in the league, and the Bulldogs are winning despite having just two consistent contributors.


Layup Lines Most Valuable Player


 
Why Romeo?

Favian - The gap between Romeo and Parks may have shrunk considerably in the second round, but Romeo still gets the slight edge owing to the fact that the FEU Tamaraws leverage so much of the offensive playbook around his skill set. Scoring 30 or more in three games this season also helps Romeo's case.

Polo - Romeo isn't your usual MVP candidate. He's not a dominating big or a unique talent like BRP. He's flawed as hell. And that's what makes him fun to cheer for.

Nico - Carried a team that wasn't the best on paper to a 10-4 record and put them in contention for a championship. It's not just about the big numbers, but the way he's assimilated into the system and the group that makes me vote for him.

Why Parks?

Renee - It got just a little bit scary when NU started to win without the ball in Bobby Ray Parks' hands. Then again, Parks' worth as an MVP is better measured by how improved his teammates are because of his mere presence. He's third overall in scoring, just behind machines like Terrence Romeo and Roi Sumang, while rivaling bigs at the boards (8.4) and in blocks (1.1) and point guards in assists (3.8) and steals (1.1). He is the true driving force behind NU's league-leading record.

Why Mbe?

Chuck - While flasher guards like Roi Sumang and Terrence Romeo have dominated the UAAP headlines this season, Emmanuel Mbe has quietly been having a fantastic year. It's tough to stand out on a team that has Bobby Ray Parks, but I feel like Mbe has the slight advantage this season because of his contributions on defense. Couple that with a rock-solid post game and expanded range, and you're looking at the UAAP's version of Tim Duncan: Quiet, humble and devastatingly effective.

Tags: uaapseason, fareasternuniversitytamaraws, terrenceromeo, ateneodemanilauniversityblueeagles, delasalleuniversitygreenarchers
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