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Saturday, July 09, 2005
Menk collars PBA MVP award; Alvarez gets ROY
Barangay Ginebra ace Fil-Am Eric Menk just won’t be denied of the most cherished Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) individual award despite his indefinite suspension.
Though overtaken in the statistical race after missing Ginebra’s last seven games in the season due to his suspension, Menk won the Most Valuable Player honors he rightfully deserved for a dominating performance in the 2004-05 campaign.
The 30-year-old Fil-Am flew in from London Sunday noon to personally receive the most coveted plum in the Annual Awards Night held before Game 4 of the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Cup finals at the Araneta Coliseum.
“I was surprised. I didn’t expect it considering the situation I’m in,” said Menk, who emerged the league’s best player in his sixth season.
Dapper in a black suit, Menk said, “I’ve had good years but it’s only now that I’ve become a part of a team with successful campaigns. So I owe it to my team, to my teammates and the coaching staff.”
Mythical Team
Menk capped his fruitful season by winning the MVP trophy and gaining his very first membership in the Mythical First Team as best forward. He made it to the Mythical Second Team once in his rookie year in 1999.
Despite his suspension, the 6-foot-6 slotman won the MVP race in runaway fashion. He amassed 8,217 points to beat Willie Miller’s 3,043, Nic Belasco’s 1,978, teammate Mark Caguioa’s 1,951, and Jimmy Alapag’s 1,211.
Menk, Miller, Alapag, Belasco and San Miguel’s Dorian Pena made it to the Mythical First Team while Caguioa landed in the Mythical Second Team together with San Miguel’s Olsen Racela, Talk N’ Text’s Mark Telan, Shell’s Anthony dela Cruz and Ginebra’s Romel Adducul.
Shell’s Rich Alvarez and Red Bull’s Enrico Villanueva also seized the limelight in the ceremony dubbed the Leo Awards as Rookie of the Year and the Most Improved Player.
Alvarez was the seventh No.1 pick in league history to emerge as top freshman. He’s also the second former Ateneo Blue Eagle to emerge as ROY after Jojo Lastimosa in 1988.
Dondon Hontiveros won the Sportsmanship Award, the third Beermen after Freddie Abuda (’97, ’98 & ’00) and Samboy Lim (’93) to win the recognition, even as Villanueva and Alvarez gained other award as members of the All-Defensive Team together with Red Bull’s Junthy Valenzuela, Coca-Cola’s Johnny Abarrientos and Sta. Lucia’s Dennis Espino.
It was Abarrientos’ fifth All-Defensive Team honors and second for Espino. It was the first time for Valenzuela, Villanueva and Alvarez to be chosen for the team, with the latter becoming only the third rookie to make it to the elite group after Marlou Aquino in ‘96 and Jun Limpot in ‘93.
It was truly a successful season for Menk and his Ginebra teammates who ruled the transition Fiesta Conference and the Philippine Cup. Menk reaped the Best Player of the Conference and Finals MVP trophies in both tournaments.
Fruitful season
Fittingly capping his fruitful season with the MVP plum, Menk is now looking forward to a return stint not only with the Kings but also with the RP team.
He said he wasn’t able to sort out his eligibility problem because he went on a leisure trip in Europe. He said he was on a taxi on the way to the airport when he heard the news about the four blasts in London.
Menk promised to fix his papers in the next few days then he’ll talk with coach Chot Reyes for a possible return to the RP team. (JSV with PBA Media Bureau)
(July 9, 2005 issue)
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