We rank the 10 best players from the first week of action in UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball.
The first week of UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball is in the books with 10 games played so far. To no one’s surprise, last year’s finals protagonists, the DLSU Green Archers and the UP Fighting Maroons, are the only undefeated teams left.
From an individual standpoint, there were several notable performances as well. And each week, we will be naming the 10 best players in our Power Rankings. Statistics will always play a big part in determining the rankings, but we will also be looking at a player’s impact on his team’s win-loss record and how often he comes up with winning plays.
Here’s our UAAP Season 87 top 10 for Week 1:
1. Kevin Quiambao (DLSU Green Archers)
KQ takes top spot in Week 1, but just barely over JD Cagulangan, who actually had the better overall stats. What clinched it for Quiambao was the Green Archers’ spotless 3-0 record, a game up over UP’s 2-0 mark, which means he had more games to showcase his skills. And his stats weren’t too shabby at all: 18.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.3 steals, including a near-triple double against archrivals Ateneo.
2. JD Cagulangan (UP Fighting Maroons)
Cagulangan had himself quite the week, powering the Fighting Maroons to a 2-0 record with double-digit wins over Ateneo and UE on some pretty impressive offensive numbers. Mai-Mai was red-hot from the outside, shooting an astounding 67% on 3s (6-of-9) and 57.1% overall and averaging a league-high 19.0 points per game to go along with 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists. If UP had also gone 3-0 then Cagulangan would have grabbed top spot.
3. Mike Phillips (DLSU Green Archers)
Phillips was a steady presence in the paint during the Archers’ 3-0 week, averaging 8.7 points, 1.7 steals, and a team-high 10.7 boards in just below 20 minutes per game of playing time. He always seemed to be at the right place at the right time, like when he beat the halftime buzzer with a tip-in against the Blue Eagles. “Motor Mike” will have his hands full, though, in the Green Archers’ lone Week 2 assignment when he squares off with UE’s towering center Precious Momowei.
4. Francis Lopez (UP Fighting Maroons)
In terms of sheer entertainment value, Lopez probably had the best week in that he had the most number of highlight moments. Whether it was barreling down the lane for a one-handed flush against the Blue Eagles, chasing down a breakaway UE layup with a huge block, or executing a reverse two-handed jam against the Red Warriors, the sophomore didn’t disappoint UP fans. He also had pretty good numbers of 10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. What pulled him a notch below Phillips was the unfortunate technical foul he picked up.
5. Matt Montebon (Adamson Soaring Falcons)
The Falcons find themselves tied for third after a 2-1 record on opening week, and a big reason for this is the steady play of Montebon. Yes, there’s the matter of that 30-point beatdown that the defending champs handed them, but in the Falcons’ twin wins, Montebon posted an average of 13.0 points. He was especially effective against UST, spearheading a second-half breakaway with seven points in the third quarter. Overall, he’s averaging 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
6. PJ Palacielo (NU Bulldogs)
Of all the Green Archers’ wins, the closest came against the Bulldogs, who were right there until Quiambao unleashed a game-winning triple in the dying seconds. Palacielo was a big reason why NU was competitive against the defending champs, dropping a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds. He also did his part in the Bulldogs’ come-from-behind win over FEU last Saturday, and thus far the six-five center is averaging 12.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.
7. Precious Momowei (UE Red Warriors)
The Red Warriors have stumbled to a 0-2 start, but from an individual standpoint Momowei has proven to be the best foreign student athlete so far with averages of 16.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. In their second game, a 10-point loss to UP, Momowei outscored and outrebounded the entire four-man UP frontline. He could have been higher on this list if UE had actually won a game.
8. Nic Cabañero (UST Growling Tigers)
Cabañero has hit double-digits in all three of UST’s games, although he hasn’t scored more than 16. The Growling Tigers got off to a promising 2-0 start before stumbling against the Falcons last Sunday. Cabañero’s output was to be expected, but he does need to work on his free throws. His PPG average could have been higher if only he had shot better than the 8-of-15 line he put up last week from the stripe.
9. Mo Tounkara (UST Growling Tigers)
After Momowei, Tounkara has been the second-best FSA in the UAAP so far with averages of 12.0 points and 7.7 rebounds as he and Cabañero have teamed up to form a solid 1-2 scoring punch for UST. But unlike his teammate, Tounkara can knock down his free throws: he’s missed just once in seven attempts.
10. Veejay Pre (FEU Tamaraws)
The lone rookie to crack our Power Rankings, Pre leads the winless Tamaraws in scoring with 11.5 points per game while adding 7.0 rebounds. Coach Sean Chambers has put a lot of faith into the youngster as evidence by his team-high 32 minutes per contest. If only he could be more consistent with his outside shooting: he’s missed all six of his three-point attempts so far.
All Images from UAAP Media Bureau.