A PAIR of La Salle stars and three of the NCAA’s best players comprise the Mighty Sports Collegiate Mythical Five that will be awarded on Jan. 26 in the Collegiate Basketball Awards at the Montgomery Place Social Hall in E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City.
The duo of Ben Mbala and Jeron Teng, who joined hands in leading La Salle to the UAAP championship last month, lead this year’s batch alongside Mapua’s Allwell Oraeme, San Beda’s Javee Mocon and Arellano University’s Jio Jalalon.
They earned a place in the best five selected by the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps and backed by Mighty Sports for their outstanding performances during the collegiate season.
Their inclusion in the Mythical Five also makes them as candidates for the Smart Player of the Year, one of the major awards in the event backed by Smart, Accel, Mighty Sports, MJM Productions and Chooks to Go.
Aldin Ayo and Jamike Jarin were named Coach of the Year for leading La Salle and San Beda to the championship of their respective leagues.
Mbala was named UAAP Most Valuable Player, while Teng took the Finals MVP plum as the Green Archers won their ninth championship in near-perfect fashion, winning 16 of 17 games including a sweep of the archrival Ateneo Blue Eagles in the finals.
Meanwhile, Oraeme bagged his second straight NCAA MVP plum after carrying the Cardinals back to the Final Four.
Mocon was one of the vital figures of the Red Lions’ successful championship run in the NCAA, sweeping Jalalon and the Chiefs in the finals held last October.
Jalalon, now a PBA rookie, showed why he was one of the country’s amateur cagers after carrying the Chiefs to their second finals appearance in three seasons.