Lancers in thick of race for MVP

Two players from the University of Visayas Green Lancers are in the thick of the fight in the battle for Most Valuable Player honors in the Champions League 2002 at the Makati Coliseum.

Neil Raneses, a 6-3 revelation at forward, and guard Ronaldo Bucao are crowding each other in the scoring department while figuring prominently in the rebounding, blocking and assist categories of the tournament supported by San Miguel, PLDT, Pagcor, PCSO, Adidas, Wilson, Hapee and Petron.

After the quarterfinal round Wednesday, Raneses averaged 17.5 points per game behind Nurjanjam Alfad (19.5 ppg) of NCAA champion San Sebastian College, which was upended by University of the East in the round-of-eight.

Bucao is a close third with 17.0 ppg followed by Ferdinand Daa of Las Piñas College (16.5) and UE’s junior swingman Olan Omiping (16.0).

Daa lorded it over the boards with 13.5 rebounds per game, with Raneses at second (12.0 rpg), Las Piñas’ Mark Constantino, third (10.0), Far Eastern Donn Yabut, fourth, and Tamaraws teammate Arwind Santos, fifth, (10.0).

Christian Coronel, SSC’s dervish point guard, compiled an average of 9.0 assists per game in two rounds, while UE’s Paul Artadi was 5.0, Bucao, 5.0, St. Francis’ Al Vergara, 4.5, and Santo Tomas’ Jinino Manansala, 4.5.

In steals, FEU’s Jonathan Cutler averaged 3.5 per game, UE’s Artadi, 2.0, and Las Piñas’ Joel Gragasin, 2.0.

And in blocks, UV’s Joseph Quinahan swatted away an average of 3.5 shots, UV’s Raneses 2.5 FEU’s Santos 2.0, St. Francis’ Ranidel de Ocampo 2.0, and UST’s Alwyn Espiritu 1.5.