After Back-to-Back MVPs, Kacey Dela Rosa Continues Hunt For First UAAP Title

Ateneo star Kacey Dela Rosa hopes to accompany her historic MVP awards with a UAAP title for the Blue Eagles. 

Ateneo Blue Eagles star Kacey Dela Rosa formally etched her name into the history books on Tuesday as she received her second consecutive MVP award in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament. 

Dela Rosa copped her second MVP by a landslide, garnering 96.286 Statistical Points (SPs) after averaging league-highs of 22.07 points, 16 rebounds, and 2.29 blocks throughout eliminations. 

In doing so, the third-year center became the first Blue Eagle since Cassie Tioseco in Seasons 69 and 70 to win back-to-back MVPs. Likewise, she joins an elite list of repeat MVPs including UST’s Grace Irebu (Seasons 81 to 82), NU’s Afril Bernardino (Seasons 77 to 79), and Adamson’s Analyn Almazan (Seasons 72 to 73). 

“Syempre, super happy kasi nakuha ko ‘yung back-to-back MVPs,” said Dela Rosa in a brief press conference at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. “Siguro hindi pa rin ako satisfied kasi marami pa akong kulang sa game ko and kasi nagllook pa rin ako sa team effort pero happy naman.”

“I think [I need to improve] sa pagiging leader sa court and ‘yung decision making din, kulang pa siya but I think nag-improve naman,” she reflected. 

With two MVPs to her name, the third-year center will continue her chase for an elusive UAAP title, sharing, “Isa lang naman ‘yung goal namin nila coach [LA Mumar], ‘yung championship na sayang na ‘di namin nakuha this year. Pero yeah, we’ll bounce back this year.” 

The Eagles in Season 87 finished in fourth place after falling to the Lady Falcons 53-59 in the Final Four last November 30. While heartbreaking, Dela Rosa knows that their rookie-laden core has gotten much-needed experience heading into Season 88. 

“So siguro ‘yung positive doon is alam na nila paano maglaro here, sa Philippines so I think mas makakaadjust sila next year,” she said. 

The third-year center was also joined by teammate and foreign student athlete Sara Makanjuola in the Mythical Five, while Junize Calago’s 67.571 SPs was initially fourth in the race prior to her disqualification. 

Now, it’s just a matter of ironing out the kinks to turn their core into a championship contender according to Kacey Dela Rosa. 

“Sa tingin ko, ang kulang lang namin is bawasan lang talaga ‘yung turnovers and ‘yun nga, sa decision making namin mga teammate. Feel ko naman ‘yung sa mga small things lang ‘yung kulang namin, ‘di naman ‘yung major, major things,” she reflected. 

Banner image courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.