King Cardinal reigns as season’s MVP

Philippine Star
Wednesday, September 26, 2007



For his sterling all-around effort in this year’s NCAA, Mapua workhorse Kelvin Dela Peña will be named the MVP of the league’s Season 83 in today’s simple awarding rites at the Araneta Coliseum.

“I’m happy, I feel so honored to be part of history,” Dela Peña told The STAR yesterday after getting confirmation of his winning the league’s highest individual plum.

Dela Peña, whose father Ricardo is a former pro, averaged 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.1 steals and one shot block in leading the Cardinals to a fourth Final Four appearance in five seasons.

Dela Peña, who played high school ball in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, also became the first Cardinal to snare the MVP award since the high-leaping Reuben dela Rosa won in 1995.

“I’m really so blessed, but all this wouldn’t happen without the support of the team and all those who genuinely care for me,” he said.

Dela Peña actually finished second behind Nigerian behemoth Sam Ekwe of San Beda in Players’ All-around Value (PAV) points with 51.4 as against the 62.6 by the latter.

But Ekwe, who ran away with the MVP honors last season, had been disqualified from any individual award after he was suspended for a flagrant foul early in the season.

San Beda’s Yousif Aljamal, last year’s Finals MVP, came in second with 50.7 points, followed by Jose Rizal’s Marvin Hayes with 44.2, Letran College’s Bryan Faundo with 40.4 Dino Daa with 40.1, who are all expected to compose the Mythical first team.

Dela Peña said he hopes to also win a championship next year.

“Of course, we’ll go for it next year because it’s going to be my last NCAA season,” he said. “But it’s going to be tough although as a leader, I got to make my peers believe that we can do it.” – Joey Villar