EKA Soriano was formally awarded MVP of the UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The sophomore guard was the runaway statistical points leader with 92.286 at the end of the eliminations, giving UST its third straight women’s tournament MVP after Grace Irebu was won the award the past two years.
See Haydee Ong sets lofty goals for 'loaded' UST next season
Soriano averaged 14.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 3.7 steals during the elimination round, helping tow UST to an 11-3 slate and the No. 3 seed in the semifinals.
"Sobrang 'di ko siya expect na makukuha ko siya, pero nakaka-proud po kasi, ganito pala 'yung feeling," Soriano told reporters.
"Nakakatuwa, nakaka-proud kasi lahat ng tinrabaho ko po, ng teammates ko para tulungan ako ng coaches, eto na po 'yun," she added.
"Kumbaga, bonus po ito eh. Talagang hindi po kami dito naka-focus, kumbaga sa championship."
The MVP also credited head coach Haydee Ong as the architect of UST's solid women's basketball program, having consistently been in the Final Four since Season 80.
"Nakakatuwa kasi iisa lang din po 'yung coach na pinanggalingan ng tatlong sunod-sunod," said Soriano. "So doon pa lang, makikita mo na iba 'yung sistema, 'yung galing ng coaches na meron kami."
Kacey Dela Rosa of Ateneo was named Rookie of the Year with 77.0 statistical points. The center put up a team-high 16.4 markers, 14.1 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks.
Joining them in the top five are Ateneo's Jhazmin Joson, UST's Tacky Tacatac and Adamson's Victoria Adeshina.
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