Al-Hussaini to be named UAAP MVP

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo can be called a big winner already even without the UAAP championship. Blue Eagle players dotted the tournament individual awards capped by Rabeh al-Hussaini’s MVP coronation to be held before Game Two of the Ateneo-La Salle finals on Thursday. Al-Hussaini will join teammate and outgoing Ateneo veteran Chris Tiu in the All-UAAP team composed of La Salle’s Rico Maierhofer and JV Casio and UST’s Jervy Cruz, the MVP last year. Freshman phenom Ryan Buenafe, an Ateneo recruit out of San Sebastian High School, will be named the Rookie of the Year. Al-Hussaini, Ateneo’s top scorer and rebounder, is the third Eagle to win the award at the turn of the century after Rich Alvarez won in 2000 and ’01 and Enrico Villanueva in 2002. Buenafe’s teammate Jai Reyes was the last Atenean to win Rookie of the Year in 2005. – GMANews.TV