CHICAGO — There is no shortage of rising stars in the ongoing UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament.
Except for UE, the lone blight in the league with a hapless, hopeless 0-6 mark, the seven other teams have a legitimate shot at a Final Four slot.
The parity of competition has created a crowded field of contenders in the race for the individual awards including the Rookie of the Year.
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While UAAP statistician Pong Ducanes has yet to take a deep look at the potential candidates, he acknowledged that Kieffer Alas of Ateneo and DLSU’s Joaquin Tovera are the “frontrunners.”
Ducanes, a math savant with an eye for hoops talent, isn’t wrong.
ACE IN THE HOLE.
Alas is stuffing the stats sheet with an average of 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals a game.
While his output is solid, the 6-foot-3 combo guard is shooting just 18.6 percent from three (8-of-43) and 36.6 percent from the field overall (33-of-90). He is also shaky from the free throw line at 60 percent (9-of-15).
Tovera, a pugnacious 5-foot-10 point guard, is averaging 10.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals a contest.
The 18-year old Fil-Am has swished 5-of-19 from three (26.3 percent) and 44.9 percent from the field overall (22-of-49). And he’s knocking down 72.2 percent (13-of-18) from the free throw line.
MORE FOR LESS.
Unlike Alas, a full-time starter clocking 27 minutes and 40 seconds an outing, Tovera comes off the bench and logs a mere 15:31 of playing time.
With eight more elimination round games to go, a wildcard can still steal the ROY hardware from Alas and Tovera.
Cabs Cabonilas of FEU.
The Season 88 UAAP juniors MVP has transitioned admirably well to the men’s stage and is averaging 8.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and an assist per game.
A decorated Gilas Youth player, the 6-foot-4 wing is a better 3-point shooter than Alas and Tovera at 29.4 percent.
Cabs is also an elite defender who can guard from 1 through 4.
Watch out for this raging Tamaraw.
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