Games Monday (The Arena, San Juan)
2 p.m. Emilio Aguinaldo vs St. Benilde
4 p.m. Arellano vs Letran
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FOR the first time this season, two equally potent cagers from the 86th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) bag the Player of the Week honors.
MANILA. San Beda’s Borgie Hermida and Jose Rizal’s Nate Matute share the NCAA Player of the Week honors. (Contributed photo)
Hermida posted 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Lions dealt Emilio Aguinaldo College its eighth loss in the nine-member tournament, 92-68 last Friday.
The 5-foot-8 Hermida also had a solid outing in the 89-70 victory over slipping St. Benilde last August 23, finishing with nine points, seven assists and three rebounds.
The 21-year-old standout is currently ranked third in the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race, amassing 43.9 points at the end of the first round last August 18.
“It’s every basketball player’s dream to play in the PBA,” said Hermida. “But my goal right now is to help San Beda win another title,” he added.
Matute, for his part, is slowly gaining prominence on his fierce outside shooting after burying 10-of-17 triples in two outings.
The Filipino-American guard from Las Vegas made 22 points, including 15 from beyond the rainbow country, to spark the Bombers past the Letran Knights, 76-60.
Five days after his breakout game, Matute was at it again, hitting 15 points, all from beyond the arc, in the 66-55 drubbing of Perpetual Help.
“He’s getting a nice feel for the game,” said JRU coach Vergel Meneses. "He's getting more and more confident and I'm happy for him." (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)