Editor’s Note: Every week, SPIN.ph will pick the five best performers per position in the ongoing UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.
TEN weeks and change has passed and we finally get to the last two teams standing this season.
But before La Salle and University of the Philippines dispute the ultimate prize, let’s first honor those individuals who made their mark in this past campaign.
Please be advised that this is not the Mythical Team selections, but rather those who Spin.ph cited in our best five series all season long.
FIRST TEAM
Guard: Forthsky Padrigao (UST)
8.79 points, 3.29 rebounds, 6.07 assists, 1.5 steals
As expected, Padrigao’s entry in Espana was a difference maker for UST as he orchestrated the school’s return to the Final Four for the first time in five years.
It’s also no surprise that he emerged as the league’s top assists man, dishing out 6.07 assists per game as he reclaimed his spot among the best point guards in college today.
Padrigao, however, admitted that there’s still a lot he could improve on, particularly his offense as his shooting was a sour point for the Growling Tigers all season long, making only 30.82-percent of his shots and a more painful 22.68-percent clip from deep.
Guard: JD Cagulangan (UP)
11.75 points, 4.42 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.75 steals
Steady as they come, Cagulangan guided UP back to the Finals for the fourth straight season.
Cool, calm, and collected, the senior guard was exceptional whenever he’s on the floor as he has been the undisputed leader for this Fighting Maroons team across this campaign.
His playmaking is a given, but Cagulangan is more lethal when it’s winning time, taking over for State U when they need to – one that should come in handy as the Diliman side tries to avert finishing as bridesmaids for the third straight year.
Forward: Kevin Quiambao (La Salle)
16.64 points, 8.64 rebounds, 4.07 assists, 1.0 steals
Was there even a doubt?
The unquestionable best player in the amateurs today proved once again that he’s already a man among boys.
Quiambao was just in full control for La Salle this season that even in his off-shooting nights, he still finds a way to make an impact either through his impeccable playmaking or his dependable defense.
No surprise that this Season’s MVP is a staple in this list.
Forward: Michael Phillips (La Salle)
12.0 points, 11.57 rebounds, 2.29 assists, 1.71 steals, 1.07 blocks
In any other team, Phillips should be seen as the top dog.
But in La Salle, he’s a more than able no. 2 to KQ that it’s just enviable to see the two play together on the floor.
An energizer bunny in every sense of the word, the Fil-Am forward was all over the floor for the Green Archers, showcasing his patented defense while also flaunting his improved offense, earning his way to a Mythical Team nod.
Center: Mo Konateh (FEU)
10.21 points, 16.71 rebounds, 2.36 blocks
Many expected Konateh to be solid in his first year. But for him to be this good? Safe to say, not many projected that.
FEU’s defense this season largely hinged on the excellence of the Gambian big man and it worked wonders, keeping the Tamaraws competitive as he also topped the league in rebounding and blocks.
No wonder, Morayta is beaming to have Konateh together with their promising young guns for the long haul.
SECOND TEAM
Guard: Jorick Bautista (FEU)
12.43 points, 3.57 rebounds, 1.57 assists, 1.14 steals
You could zoom in and salivate on the future of FEU, but the main man in Morayta remains Bautista.
The former Gilas Pilipinas Youth gunner proved that he’s more than just a deadshot from deep, taking charge when the Tamaraws need it the most, guiding the team to five wins this year.
With one more playing year left, expect Bautista to up his game the same way his contemporaries RJ Abarrientos and L-Jay Gonzales did before.
Guard: Joshua David (La Salle)
6.0 points, 5.79 rebounds, 4.21 assists, 1.0 steal
La Salle will always have Quiambao and Phillips at the forefront.
But David is just as important to the wheel, with the senior guard not just being one of the leaders but also a dependable hand at the point.
Quite a leap for someone who transitioned to the role after playing shooting guard all his collegiate career.
Forward: Nic Cabanero (UST)
16.29 points, 5.43 rebounds, 1.93 assists, 0.93 steals
Finally, Cabanero got a year where his points were not for naught.
He has emerged as the definitive leader of the Growling Tigers horde, commanding responsibility as finally, the Espana side reached the Final Four again.
Cabanero’s shooting has certainly improved, his defense even, but it’s his demeanor in calming the wards which has earned him more adulation from his peers.
Forward: AJ Fransman (Adamson)
8.07 points, 6.93 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.86 steals
Fransman has certainly come out of nowhere for Adamson, being one of the surprising contributors to the team’s dream run in the Final Four.
The transferee out of Enderun Colleges has been nothing but a net positive for the Soaring Falcons, with his two-way game thriving in this no-star, all-defense system in San Marcelino.
It’s a pity that him feeling under the weather rendered him out for the team’s semifinal tiff, but expect a bigger year from him next season.
Center: Quentin Millora-Brown (UP)
8.62 points, 9.46 rebounds, 1.38 blocks
QMB’s entry just reinforced UP’s position near the top of the pole, with the 6-foot-11 center being the solid force down low in Diliman.
And it’s no surprise that he has routinely found himself in this best five list thanks to his consistent double-double churns.
If the Fighting Maroons do complete the dream run to the top, State U has QMB to thank for pushing them over the hump.
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