National University star Bella Belen brushed off the idea of bagging her third Most Valuable Player award and would rather turn her focus on the bigger prize of winning another title with the Lady Bulldogs.

Suiting up in her final year as a student-athlete, Belen looked better than ever as she is currently ahead of the pack for the highest individual award, amassing 159.6 statistical points (SPs) to also power NU to a pristine 8-0 win-loss record.

“Ako po kasi personally, naniniwala ako ‘yong awards andyan lang ‘yan nasa tabi lang, so kailangan kolang gawin kung anong kaya kong i-contribute sa team,” said Belen after leading NU to a 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18 victory over La Salle at Mall of Asia Arena Sunday, March 23.

“So hindi ko naman sya magagawa without the help of my team… ‘yong awards na ‘yan bonus lang sa player ‘yan,” the two-time UAAP MVP added.

The 22-year-old outside hitter, instead, continues to hone her craft, knowing there are rising stars who will readily give her and the Lady Bulldogs a tough test.

“Ako kasi gusto kolang lagi na tinataas ‘yong level ng paglalaro ko, kasi maraming mga bagong bata na pumapasok sa UAAP na magagaling,” Belen continued. “So ako dapat itaas kopa ‘yong level [ng laro ko].”

Adamson’s Shaina Nitura and Frances Mordi, UST’s Marga Altea, and La Salle’s Shevana Laput are all trailing Belen in the MVP race.

Among them, Nitura (145.556) and Laput (157.692) are the closest pursuers.

Laput recently registered her career-best of 25 points in the Lady Spikers’ 25-15, 25-14, 20-25, 25-19 triumph over arch-rival Ateneo Blue Eagles.

“Happy ako for Shevana, though ‘di namin sya nakikita sa training, talaga kasi nakikita ko ‘yong resulta ng hardwork nya,” said Alyssa Solomon.

“Ang laki ng in-improve ni Shevana compared last season, and marami talaga syang pahihirapan na team kasi ang laki nya,” Belen continued.

Belen and Solomon pumped in 23 and 19 points, respectively, to pound La Salle which dropped to a 5-3 slate and created a three-way tie with UST and FEU in the standings