Franz Pumaren named year’s top mentor

Inquirer
Last updated 06:19am (Mla time) 10/18/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The De La Salle University Green Archers and the San Beda College Red Lions topped their respective collegiate leagues this season.

So it’s just apt that when the UAAP and NCAA Press Corps hold the 2007 Collegiate Basketball Awards presented by Anta on Oct. 25 at the Manila Pavilion, the bulk of the awardees will come from the two schools.

La Salle’s Franz Pumaren was named the Coach of the Year in Season 70 after steering the Taft-based school to an improbable sweep of University of the East Warriors.

Rogemar Menor and Yousif Aljamal, on the other hand, spearheaded the Lions’ Season 83 title conquest and earned their share of awards.

Menor, the reigning Finals Most Valuable Player, was the hands down choice as San Miguel Scoring Champion. Aljamal, who is now with Talk N’ Text, was voted to the elite Anta Mythical Five of the UAAP and NCAA combined, along with NCAA MVP Kelvin dela Peña, UAAP MVP Jervy Cruz, UE’s Mark Borboran and Ateneo de Manila University’s Chris Tiu.

JV Casio was Menor’s counterpart in the UAAP while teammate Cholo Villanueva bagged the Mr. Clutch plum, an award given to a player who has a penchant for taking and making the biggest shots for his team the whole season.

Villanueva coincidentally shared the UAAP Finals MVP honor with Casio.

Rico Maeirhofer, for his part, was the recipient of the Energy Player award, graduating TY Tang the Super Senior plum while San Beda’s Nigerian behemoth Sam Ekwe, the 2006 rookie MVP, is the San Miguel Defensive Player of the Year after he led the league in rebounds and blocks.