
By NIKOLE JAVIER
Schonny Winston of De La Salle came out on top as the early Most Valuable Player race leader after the first round of the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament.
The competition for the individual honor saw the Green Archer lead the race with 84.429 statistical points, a good gap against his closest rival Forthsky Padrigao of Ateneo (76.571) followed by his teammate Evan Nelle (73.6), who only played five games after missing their earlier matches due to fever, UP’s Carl Tamayo (72.714) and reigning MVP Ange Kouame (71.571).
Winston amassed 149 points apart from 43 rebounds, 23 assists and 21 blocks after logging in total of 226 minutes on the floor in seven games, the most among other players.
After the first part of the tourney which saw them struggle to fully get their bearings going, the La Salle guard who is playing his last year remained consistent from the field and averaged 21.29 per contest for the team's 3-4 win-loss record.
Padrigao, on the other hand, averaged 12.86 points per game and ranked second in assists with 6.14 behind La Salle’s Nelle with 7.8.
Preseason MVP favorite Tamayo, averaged 14.86 points per match while Kouame played huge defense for Ateneo averaging 11.43 rebounds and 2.57 blocks per game to put himself in the race.
JD Cagulangan of the Fighting Maroons, who competed in just one game in the league so far, also made it to the race with 78 statistical points, just behind the scoring leader Winston.