UAAP Power Rankings: NU continues to sizzle

NU continued to stamp its class on the competition after two rousing wins. Meanwhile, UST continues to grope for form even against UP, while DLSU is slowly rumbling through, piling up three straight wins since dropping their first two assignments. So how did the UAAP shape up the last week?

1		National University Bulldogs (5-1) NU throttled AdU, 62-25, in the most lopsided game of the season and in recent memory perhaps. After that, the Bulldogs gutted it out against University of the East in a stirring come-from-behind 57-55 win. This week: vs. FEU
Last week: 1
2		Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles (4-1) Kiefer Ravena still shot horribly for the week, going 5-for-15 against FEU. However, he did pour in 12 of his game-high 23 in the final canto. Clutch, baby! Top rookie Arvin Tolentino still needs to learn how to challenge shots or even play defense and mixing it up with lay-ups, inside forays and outside shooting. This week: vs. UST, UE
Last week: 2
3		De La Salle University Green Archers (3-2) De La Salle took care of business this week against Adamson. Kib Montalbo poured in a shining 18 points, but then again, this is Adamson we’re talking about. Anybody’s bound to have a good game against them. This week: vs. UP, UST
Last week: 4
4		Far Eastern University Tamaraws (3-2) The Tamaraws fought the Eagles tooth-and-nail after drowning UE earlier in the week. It’s so hard not to root for them even if Anton Montinola continues with his UAAP Rulebook shenanigans. Mac Belo is a superstar and wherever he goes, so will FEU. This week: vs. NU
Last week: 3
5		University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (3-1) Crucify us if you will, but UST may as well be toting a 0-4 win-loss card right now. All their wins seem to be chamba. Bong Dela Cruz looks lost out there, as well as Aljon Mariano. Come to think of it, maybe give Kenneth Duremdes this lineup and he’ll shower you with wins. This week: vs. ADMU
Last week: 6
6		University of the East Red Warriors (2-3) Three straight chokes for UE. And Manong Derrick is on a throw-under-the-bus spree. He quipped that Charles Mammie was not giving them anything. Well, it won’t take a genius to know that Mammie is the better inside presence than Arafat and needs the 20mpg Arafat plays to produce soundly. This week: vs. ADMU
Last week: 5
7		Adamson University Falcons (0-5) You get drubbed historically one game, then lose another, for the fifth-straight time. Scoring 25 points won’t help you go anywhere. Except basketball purgatory. This week: vs. UP
Last week: 7
8		University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons (0-5) University of the Philippines put up a great fight in the first half of their game against University of Santo Tomas. But then again, this is UP. Pinaasa na naman tayo. This week: vs. UST
Last week: 8

Line of the Week

We’ll be handing out this award to players who garnered the most eye-popping stats for the week. Drum roll please as we hand it to...

Kib Montalbo, DLSU Green Archers: 18 points, 9-12 FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists versus AdU

Surely, we have consolation prizes! And they are...

Alfred Aroga, NU Bulldogs: 18 points, 6-14 FG, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

Chris Newsome, ADMU Blue Eagles: 17 points, 7-9 FG, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Player of the Week

Our inaugural Player of the Week is judged not only on numbers but overall performance in helping his team win. Quality of opponent is also added for heavy consideration. Our inaugural Player of the Week goes to...

Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles: 23 points (12 in the final run), 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal

...and with that, we also have a Player of the Weak! Sadly, we give that to...

Jeron Teng, DLSU Green Archers: 2 points, 0-7 FG, 6 rebounds, 5 assists

***

With our weekly awards done, let’s move on with our first Monthly Awards! PhilStar.Com’s Sports Hub Player of the Month for July is...

Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles: 20.8ppg, 4.3rpg, 4.0apg, 1.8spg, 0.3bpg, 2.0topg, 37.1% FG, 35% 3FG, 80%FT

...and Rookie of the Month for July is...

Arvin Tolentino, ADMU Blue Eagles: 15.8ppg, 6.8rpg, 0.8apg, 0.8bpg, 2.0topg, 45.7% FG, 34.6% 3FG, 75% FT

***

MVP Watch

It won’t be as good if we don’t have an MVP watch as well seeing as we have many great players doing a lot for their teams! So, did your team’s top gun make it this week? Let’s see who we got this week.

1. Kiefer Ravena, ADMU Blue Eagles (Week 2 rank: 1)

This week: 23.0ppg, 5.0rpg, 7.0apg, 1.0spg, 4.0topg, 33% FG, 40% 3FG, 73% FT

Season: 21.2ppg, 4.4rpg, 4.6apg, 1.6spg, 0.2bpg, 2.4topg, 36.5% FG, 36% 3FG, 77.8% FT

Ravena’s shooting percentages continue to plummet but that is expected somehow. But maybe, not an atrocity like in his last two games. After shooting the lights out in the first three games, Kiefer has since shot a combined 8-for-36 against NU and FEU. Nonetheless, he still poured in the points when it mattered most against the Tamaraws.

2. Mac Belo, FEU Tamaraws (Week 2 rank: 3)

This week: 21.5ppg, 4.0rpg, 2.5apg, 69% FG, 67%FT

Season: 18.8ppg, 5.4rpg, 2.4apg, 0.4spg, 3.0topg, 64.4% FG, 33% 3FG, 68% FT

Belo has been playing insane this year. He’s one of the league-leaders in FG percentage and doesn’t seem to be slowing down soon. Belo takes high percentage shots and rarely gambles. It’s not too late to jump on the Belo bandwagon folks!

3. Chris Tolomia, FEU Tamaraws (Week 2 rank: 4)

This week: 14.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 4.5apg, 4.5topg, 33% FG, 20% 3FG, 56% FT

Season: 16.6 ppg, 3.4rpg, 3.6apg, 0.2spg, 4.2topg, 50.0% FG, 35.7% 3FG, 61.1% FT

Tolomia’s passing trend continues. If he dishes the ball more than four times, FEU wins. If not, well, Mac Belo has to save ‘em all. However, he’s still shooting at a high clip from the field and has been one of the driving forces in the Tamaraws’ great season thus far.

4. Troy Rosario, NU Bulldogs (Week 2 rank: 2)

This week: 10.5ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.0apg, 0.5 spg, 1.5bpg, 1.5topg, 44% FG, 71.4% FT

Season: 12.2ppg, 7.1rpg, 1.0apg, 0.8bpg, 2.0topg, 49.2% FG, 22% 3FG, 52.9% FT

Rosario had a so-so week putting up numbers close to his season average. But do not take it wrongly. He did get lots of rest in the Adamson game after they blasted the Falcons to kingdom come right from the get-go. They needed him down the stretch against UE and he did not disappoint.

5. Alfred Aroga, NU Bulldogs (Week 2 rank: Unranked)

This week: 12.0ppg, 12.5rpg, 2.5 apg, 3.5bpg, 1.5topg, 40% FG, 80% FT

Season: 11.5ppg, 10.0rpg, 1.0apg, 2.2bpg, 2.3topg, 47.5% FG, 54.2% FT

Aroga has been quietly putting up a double-double job for NU since he came aboard. His monster 18-point, 15-rebound game against UE sealed the deal on his entry to Star Sports Hub’s MVP Race.

Almost made the cut: Roi Sumang, Karim Abdul

Dropped out of MVP race: Arvin Tolentino

Surprise of the week

Adamson managed to score only 25 points THE WHOLE GAME.

Team of the Week

National University put a show for everybody as they delivered the knockout blow right in the first quarter of their game against Adamson and willed themselves to victory, coming from behind, to outlast the hosts in a cardiac Sunday showdown.

Team of the Weak

As much as we want to respect UP and Adamson’s rebuilding efforts, we can’t help but just give the Adamson Falcons as Team of the Week. 25 points in a game. Sheesh.

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