UST's Ababou sets pace in MVP derby

MANILA, Philippines - Despite UST’s struggling campaign in the first round of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament, Dylan Ababou showed up the best in the fold, including reigning MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini of Ateneo, in the race for individual honors.

Ababou has been churning out solid numbers for the Tigers, posting a league-high 19.6 points he spiked with 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game to lead FEU’s Aldrech Ramos with 66.8571 statistical points based on the Smart Bro-powered computations released by league statisticians Imperium Technology, Inc.

Ramos, a Smart Gilas Pilipinas veteran like Ababou, has norms of 10.9 rebounds (No. 1), 1.9 blocks (No. 4), 11.4 points and a steal an outing for 64.4286 SPs.

Al-Hussaini, whose dominating performance last year netted him the MVP, is surprisingly behind at No. 8 with 52.2857 SPs.

Al-Hussaini, hampered by below-par performance in the last three games, posted an average of 14.9 points after the first half of the double round elims.

In that three-game stretch, Al-Hussaini’s production dropped to 9.8 points and 4.3 rebounds after soaring to a hot start with norms of 19.5 points and 7.25 boards.

In contrast, Ababou has been dishing out consistent games although the Tigers remain locked in a three-way tie for third with La Salle and UE with 4-3 slates heading into the final phase of the elims.

Ateneo and FEU show the way with 6-1 cards.

Another UST bet, Khasim Mirza is in third with 64.129 SPs followed by UE’s Pari Llagas, FEU’s Mark Barroca and UE’s Paul Lee and Elmer Espiritu with 56.2857, 56.1429, 55.2857 and 54.5714, respectively.