UST GROWLING Tigers team captain Nic Cabañero earned his first Mythical Five recognition after his strong performance in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.
Cabañero, who is in his fourth year with the Tigers, finished fifth among players eligible for awards with 61.0 statistical points (SPs) after averaging 16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.9 steals in 30.2 minutes per game.
The UST star broke into the Mythical Five after UE’s Precious Momowei, who had the fifth-most SPs with 67.54, was disqualified from receiving awards due to incurring two unsportsmanlike fouls against UST in their second-round clash on Nov. 9.
Another disqualifier for Momowei was the UAAP rule that allows only one foreign student-athlete in the Mythical Five. FEU’s Mo Konateh’s 68.64 SPs ranked ahead of him at fourth.
Cabañero, however, missed out on his third consecutive scoring title. The 21-year-old forward was edged out by DLSU’s Kevin Quiambao for the scoring title, who posted 16.64 points per contest.
Cabañero’s first Mythical Five placement came as the Growling Tigers entered the Final Four in Season 87, breaking a five-year drought.
“Hindi ko naman magagawa ‘yong ganon na accolades kung hindi dahil sa teammates ko and sa coaches, at saka sa family ko and sa UST community. Every game, my mindset is just to win and gusto ko talaga ibigay ‘yong best ko,” Cabañero told the Varsitarian.
“Hindi ko nga alam at first kahapon… They congratulate me and they’re happy that someone is representing our school din,” he added. “Our goal is to be in the finals pa rin. Parang bonus na lang din sa akin ‘yan.”
UST’s foreign student-athlete Mo Tounkara finished behind Cabañero in seventh place with 60.154 SPs, averaging 13.85 points, 10.23 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.77 blocks throughout the eliminations.
Tounkara was the fourth best rebounder in the league, finishing behind Konateh, Momowei, and DLSU’s Mike Phillips.
UST guard Forthsky Padrigao had the eighth-most 58.71 SPs after averaging 8.79 points, 6.0 assists, 3.29 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in his first season with the Growling Tigers.
Padrigao led the league in assists while also ranking third in steals behind UP’s JD Cagulangan and Phillips.
Quiambao bagged the MVP award for the second straight season with averages of 16.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game, leading the league with a total of 81.36 SPs.
FEU’s Veejay Pre won Rookie of the Year after finishing with 47.0 SPs built on 13.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.93 blocks.
The Growling Tigers will face the twice-to-beat UP Fighting Maroons tomorrow, Nov. 30, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. with reports from Brenn Allen L. Flores
