LITERALLY head and shoulders above everyone, Kai Sotto further established his dominance in the ongoing UAAP Season 81 juniors basketball tournament as he leads the Most Valuable Player race by a comfortable margin through the first round.
The third-year Ateneo high school star amassed 93.29 statistical points (SPs) after leading the Blue Eaglets to a 5-2 card in the first round.
Sotto recorded league-bests in scoring (25.29 points), rebounding (12.71 boards) and rejections (3.29 blocks), to go with 2.71 assists per game.
The 7-foot-1 center holds a full 20-point lead over UST's Mark Nonoy, who collected 70.86 SPs.
The Negrense guard netted 18.29 points, 9.14 rebounds, 5.71 assists, and 1.71 steals for the Tiger Cubs, which sits at joint fifth place with their 3-4 card.
Running at third in the MVP race is Ateneo playmaker Forthsky Padrigao who got 70.0 SPs despite playing just one game.
Completing the top five are FEU-Diliman's RJ Abarrientos with his 62.57 SPs and Adamson's Adam Manlapaz with his 60.17 SPs.
Also in the running are NU big man Carl Tamayo (60.0 SPs), Adamson guard Joem Sabandal (58.14 SPs), UST bruiser Bismarck Lina, (55.43 SPs), FEU-Diliman winger Royce Alforque (55.29 SPs), and De La Salle-Zobel forward Lance Jomalesa (53.0 SPs).
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