Ababou 4th Tiger to win MVP plum

MANILA, Philippines - Dylan Ababou became the fourth University of Santo Tomas Tiger to win the UAAP MVP in 16 years, beating Ateneo’s Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Far Eastern University’s Aldrech Ramos for the coveted crown with a superb all-around performance in the season.

The 22-year-old Ababou, the only player to score at least 10 points in all his 14 matches this year, emerged the league’s scoring leader after the double-round elims, averaging 18.9 points he spiked with a season-high 30 points he scored against National University in the first round. He also normed 7.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and nearly a steal to power the Tigers to the Final Four against the Eagles.

The Smart Gilas Pilipinas mainstay, who edged Al-Hussaini and Ramos in one of the closest races in league history, will receive his MVP trophy in the finals of his fifth and last UAAP season.

The 6-7 Al-Hussaini, who came from behind to snatch the MVP plum from 2007 MVP Jervy Cruz, and the 6-6 Ramos finished closely behind Ababou.

Al-Hussaini could’ve won it back-to-back if not for a sub-par seven-point, two-rebound performacne in the Eagles’ 74-73 win over the Tams last Saturday. He averaged 16.5 points and 7.1 rebounds, way below his 18-point and 9.6-rebound norms last year.

Ramos, this year’s biggest revelation, emerged the only player to average in double figures in both scoring and rebounding this season with 11.5 points and 11.6 caroms. He also averaged 1.6 shot blocks.

High school phenom Terrence Romeo of FEU and lady cager Amby Almazan of Adamson were the hands down choices as MVPs of their respective divisions.

Ababou will thus become the fourth UST player to win the league’s highest individual award in the last 16 years after Danny Espino (1993 and 1994), Chris Cantonjos (1995) and Cruz (2007).