ROBERT Bolick will be feted for his leading role in San Beda's title run in the NCAA by being named the Player of the Year in the 2018 Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Basketball Awards on Thursday night at The Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros.
The 6-foot-1 guard was the undisputed leader of a squad that gave San Beda its league-leading 21st title.
However, Bolick was left out of the individual awards after being disqualified due to a controversial ejection in an elimination round game and getting edged out by teammate Donald Tankoua for Finals MVP.
Bolick was the catalyst for the Mendiola-based squad in two close contests in the finals against Lyceum and Season MVP CJ Perez. He came through for his team when it mattered most, dropping seven of his 24 points in the last two minutes of Game One and then scoring seven of his 22 markers with under five minutes remaining in Game Two.
As such, the scribes from print and online media who have organized the event with support from Chooks-to-Go, Cherrylume, and The Bayleaf Intramuros deemed him worthy of the highest individual honor.
The pride of Ormoc, Leyte is the first Red Lion and first NCAA standout to be hailed as Player of the Year. He follows La Salle’s Jeron Teng and Ben Mbala, Ateneo’s Kiefer Ravena, and FEU’s Mac Belo as winners of the award.
Joining Bolick in this year’s Mythical Team are Mbala, Perez and Ateneo’s Matt Nieto and Thirdy Ravena.
Meanwhile, San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez and Ateneo mentor Tab Baldwin will be feted as Coaches of the Year.
Fernandez guided the Red Lions to their 10th title in the last 12 years, beating a Lyceum team that swept the eliminations.
The UAAP finals was also a showcase for the coaching prowess of Baldwin who got the most out of all the Blue Eagles to thwart archrival La Salle for their first championship since 2012.
Special awards will also be given to women’s basketball legend Afril Bernardino of National U, UE scoring machine Alvin Pasaol and the Lyceum Pirates, who completed their transformation from league cellar-dweller to legitimate contender.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
