FOR his solid play in Mapua’s back-to-back wins, Paolo Hernandez has been picked Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week.
The starred for Mapua in an impressive week that saw the Cardinals follow up a breakthrough win against Arellano with back-to-back victories over EAC and JRU.
The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals in the past two wins.
The 20-year-old Hernandez won the vote over teammate Laurenz Victoria, San Beda’s Donald Tankoua, Lyceum’s Jaycee Marcelino and Mike Nzeusseu, getting the nod from scribes from print and online covering the beat.
“Siyempre, sabi nga ni coach, saan pa ba kami pupunta? 0-5 na kami e,” said Hernandez about their poor start to the season. “Wala na kaming ibang pupuntahan kundi panalo.”
After coming up with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Cardinals' 76-66 victory versus the Generals, he turned in a career game with 20 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals in an 83-63 rout of the Heavy Bombers.

“Paolo Hernandez, kahit na isang taon lang sa Jrs., nakita ko agad yung leadership,” said coach Randy Alcantara, his mentor from the Red Robins and now, the Cardinals. “Nakikita ko after [Laurenz] Victoria, magiging mukha ng Cardinals si Paolo Hernandez.”
For his part, though, the Finals MVP in last year’s NCAA Jrs. vowed to just get back to work and keep working.
“Masaya ako sa tiwala ni coach, pero 'di ko muna iniisip yun. This season muna, tiyaga-tiyaga lang, step-by-step lang,” said Hernandez who bested
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