Former Holy Cross of Davao College Crusader Alvin Pasaol, now donning the coors of University of the East, made it to the mythical team of the 80th season of the UAAP.
The high-scoring Pasaol, who registered a record 49 points this season, came fourth in the stats with 63.4286 SPs. He also became the first Dabawenyo in modern league to make it to the prestigious elite five.
The other members of the team are Thirdy Ravena of Ateneo, Jjay Alejandro of National University and Ben Mbala of La Salle.
Ravena, Alejandro, and Pasaol placed second, third, and fourth respectively in the MVP race based on overall total statistical points behind Mbala, who claimed his second straight Most Valuable Player in Season 80.
Statistics, compiled by league provider Imperium Technology, serve as the sole basis for the UAAP’s individual awards such as the MVP, Mythical Five and the Rookie of the Year.
The final player in the Mythical Five could be Ricci Rivero of La Salle if precedence – and tradition – holds in the country’s premier college league.
Rivero ended up eighth in the MVP race behind three foreign players – Papi Sarr of Adamson, Issa Gaye of National University and Steve Akomo of University of Santo Tomas.
Previous seasons had league officials naming only one foreign player to the Mythical Five even if there were multiple foreign players in the top five of the statistical race.
Last season when Mbala took the MVP award, Sarr didn’t make it to the Mythical Five despite being second in total statistical tally. NU import Alfred Aroga was sixth in the tally but Ravena, seventh in the MVP race, secured the last spot in the Mythical Five.
This season, Ravena placed second to Mbala in the MVP race after tallying 66.5 total statistical points, while Alejandro took third with 63.8571 total SPs.
Sarr, Gaye, and Akomo had 63.1538, 57.5714, and 56.7692 total SPs respectively, followed by Rivero with 56.2857 SPs.
Paul Desiderio was ninth with 54.5 SPs, followed by Chibueze Ikeh of Ateneo with 49.3571.
