SBC's Daniel and Amer named MVPs

San Beda snared most of the individual awards as American behemoth Sudan Daniel and high school phenom Baser Amer emerged as the Most Valuable Players of their respective divisions in the 86th NCAA basketball tournament at the Big Dome.

The 6-7 Daniel led the league in shot blocks with an average of 4.4 and was second in rebounds with 11.4 while averaging 10.9 points a game but got most of his score on won-game points after the Lions swept the double-round elimination in 16 games to barge straight into the finals.

Amer, a Zamboanga native playing his last season, for his part, dominated the assists department with a norm of 11.7 an outing, eighth in scoring with 15.6 points, eight in rebounds with 8.3 boards including a league best 6.8 on the defensive end third in steals with 2.4 to snare the juniors’ MVP crown.

Amer and other recipients in the juniors’ division received their trophies in simple rites yesterday awarded by members of the Policy Board headed by Fr. Anthony Morillo, OAR, and the Management Committee chaired by Frank Gusi also of San Sebastian.

The seniors’ awardees will receive their awards before Game Two tomorrow.

Overall, Daniel amassed 56.8 MVP points, edging closest pursuer San Sebastian’s Calvin Abueva, who led the race all throughout but waver in the end as he finished with 54.6 MVP points and wound up in the Mythical First Team.

There, Daniel and Abueva were joined by pro-bound Borgie Hermida and Garvo Lanete of San Beda and Adrian Celada of Arellano U after garnering 45.1, 38.8 and 38.4 points, respectively.

Amer took the top plum in the high school section after amassing 62.3 points, edging San Sebastian’s Gino Juamo-as, 23.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 shot blocks, with 61.5.

Jumao-as though consoled himself with a spot in the elite First Team where he is accompanied by Amer, RP Youth standout Joshua Alolino of Perpetual Help (56.5), Cris dela Paz of Jose Rizal (47.1) and Rey Nambatac of Letran (44..

Daniel thus joined Nigerian Sam Ekwe, who won it twice in 2006 and 2008 during the team the Lions’ went on a three-peat feat, as among the list of San Beda players named in the elite MVP group.

Amer likewise became the first high school MVP from the Benedictine school since Jay-R Taganas and Ogie Menor won the awards in 2004 and 2005.

In other individual awards, St. Benilde’s Carlo Lastimosa won the Rookie of the Year plum, Jose Rizal’s Joe Etame as Most Improved Player with Daniel emerging the Most Defensive Player.

Nambatac was adjudged the Rookie of the Year in the high school section while Emilio Aguinaldo’s Vincent Menguito and Perpetual Help’s Flash Sadiwa were named Most Defensive Player and Most Improved Player, respectively.