ABL: Taulava wins Most Valuable Player award

Asi Taulava has added another another feather to his cap by winning the 2013 ASEAN Basketball League Most Valuable Player award.

 

The Fil-Tongan averaged 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while also being the San Miguel Beermen’s leader.  

 

"We have some very talented players in our league, and any one of them would have made an excellent ASEAN MVP - and it is a testament to Asi Taulava that he was selected by the teams for this award," said ABL CEO Anthony Macri in the release announcing the award.  

 

"It has been an honor and a privilege to have Asi in the AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League this season.  He was the go-to post player down the stretch of big games for the San Miguel Beermen all year long, and always seemed to deliver. He is a great ambassador of the game to the region as well, and I hope he has a few more years of play left in him for basketball fans throughout ASEAN to enjoy." 

 

Back in 2003, Taulava was named as the MVP of the Philippine Basketball Association.

 

Taulava edged out fellow Filipinos Froilan Baguion of the Sports Rev Thailand Slammers, Jai Reyes of the Saigon Heat, and his own teammate Chris Banchero. The only non-Filipino to be included in the short list of MVP candidates was Mario Wusyang of the Indonesia Warriors.

 

However, this award is only a part of the success Taulava was gunning for when he decided to join the San Miguel Beermen. Taulava and the rest of his teammates are now focused on unseating the defending champions Indonesia Warriors in the ABL Finals, starting on June 7 at Ynares Sports Arena. - CLP, GMA News