UAAP: NU’s Jumamoy is MVP frontrunner, Ateneo’s Alas leads ROY race

National University’s Reinhard Jumamoy against University of Santo Tomas in UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball. UAAP Media.MANILA — Will UAAP Season 89 be Reinhard Jumamoy’s year in collegiate basketball?

The numbers currently suggest as much, as the National University guard leads all local players at the end of the first round in statistical points with 72.714 SPs, making him the top contender for the men’s basketball Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Now in his fourth year, Jumamoy is posting career-best numbers across the board, averaging 13.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.1 steals while steering the Bulldogs to the top seed with five wins in seven outings.

Jumamoy, however, maintained that he is simply making the most of the opportunities coming his way, with team success remaining his top priority.

“Kung ano yung binibigay sa akin, kailangan lang kong i-grab, na no matter what happens, ma-sisi man or good thing yung result, tine-take charge ko lang,” he previously told ABS-CBN News.

Trailing Jumamoy in the MVP race are University of Santo Tomas’ Amiel Acido with 68.714 SPs, NU big man PJ Palacielo with 66.286, Growling Tigers veteran Mark Llemit with 66.0, and Far Eastern University’s Kirby Mongcopa with 65.0.

Ateneo de Manila University’s Kieffer Alas in UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball. UAAP Media.Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University’s Kieffer Alas tops all rookies with 59.143 SPs, which also ranks 10th overall among all players.

The Las Piñas native has averaged 14.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals for the 3-4 Blue Eagles, who are looking to revive their Final Four bid after losing steam toward the end of the first round.

Rounding out the men’s individual award races is the battle for Best Foreign Student-Athlete (FSA) between FEU’s Mo Konateh and UST’s Collins Akowe.

Konateh actually leads all players in SPs with 78.429 after helping the Tamaraws to a 4-3 record at the end of the first round, but current UAAP rules make him ineligible for the MVP award.

Akowe is not far behind with 74.857 SPs after likewise powering the Growling Tigers to a 4-3 mark midway through the elimination round.