LA Salle forward Ben Mbala may have won the UAAP’s MVP award by a landslide, but the Cameroonian sensation maintains the league’s most prestigious individual honor means nothing without a championship for the Green Archers.
SPIN.ph earlier reported that the 6-foot-8 forward was the runaway winner for the MVP plum after compiling 92.4286 statistical points, over 20 points ahead of closest pursuer Papi Sarr of Adamson.
But Mbala’s eyes remains focused on helping La Salle get three more wins to wrap up the UAAP title.
“It feels great but like I’ve said before, all the personal rewards won't matter if I don't become a champion,” said Mbala, who averaged 20.6 points, 16.0 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in the two-round eliminations —all league-best numbers.
[See Mbala wins stats race by a wide margin to win MVP award]
Mbala admitted his success this year has been surprising even to him.
“To say that I was expecting this to happen during my first season would be a lie,” Mbala said.
Mbala said all he tried to do during his three-year wait after getting recruited from Cebu’s Southwestern University, was to prepare well in order to “survive” in the UAAP.
“When I was on the outside looking in, I really just tried to put in the work so that I would somehow survive in the UAAP,” Mbala added.
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