2 Manila schools eye SWU’s Benoit Mbala

IF there’s one player from Cebu that Manila schools are drooling to have, it’s no other than Southwestern University Cobras Cameroonian slotman Benoit Mbala.

Following his performance during the 2012 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Final Four, where he averaged 23.25 points in four games, Mbala drew much attention from Manila teams, including the De La Salle University Green Archers.

Spin.ph reported that the Taft-based Green Archers want to acquire Mbala, who was a crucial factor in SWU’s win in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc.

Sun.Star Cebu tried to confirm the report with Cobras head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba, but he was unreachable at press time yesterday.

DLSU is in dire need for an imposing big man who is capable of giving them an inside threat.

After winning their last UAAP title in 2007, the Green Archers were struggling the following seasons, and having a dominating center like Mbala could whisk them back to the top of the league.

Aside from DLSU, Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles are reportedly interested in recruiting Mbala. Ateneo will no longer have 7-foot center Fil-Am Greg Slaughter next season and finding an equally dominating figure in the middle will help its campaign for sixth straight UAAP title.

Among those who are being eyed by Ateneo, which got Slaughter from the University of the Visayas, is former University of Cebu Baby Webmaster Jerie Marlon Pingoy, who won back-to-back UAAP high school MVP awards.