By MARK REY MONTEJO
Karl Ann Pingol made sure her exit would be a big and memorable one as the National University star officially bagged her first-ever Most Valuable Player award in the UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball tournament at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Wednesday, Dec. 10.
The 24-year-old Pingol topped the race the for the highest individual award after listing 93.571 statistical points (SPs), enough to outshine Ateneo’s Kacey Dela Rosa (91.429), winner of the award the past two seasons.
University of Santo Tomas’ Kent Pastrana (86.643), and her teammates Kristine Cayabyab (73.571), and Angel Surada (71.714) made up the Top Five.
Those five cagers completed this year’s Elite Team, while Ateneo’s Erica De Luna took the Rookie of the Year award.
It was a fitting honor for the 5-foot-7 player who is set for his “Swan Song” this year and it came before flying to Thailand where she will join the Gilas Pilipinas Women for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.
For winning the coveted plum, Pingol became the third Lady Bulldog who achieved the feat, next to Afril Bernardino (UAAP Seasons 77–79, 2014–16) and Jack Animam (Season 80, ‘17).
“Siguro, malaking confidence booster siya para sa akin. Nung first [year] ko pa lang sa UAAP, hindi ko naman ito ina-aim ‘eh kasi kumbaga, I just play my game,” said Pingol. “And kung ano lang flow ng system namin. Na-surprise lang ako na ‘yon yung naging outcome.”
Pingol, who averaged 14.29 points, 8.93 rebounds, 5.14 assists, 1.07 blocks, and 3.57 steals during the eliminations, has a chance to make her achievement much better when the Lady Bulldogs go for the clincher against the Pastrana-led Golden Tigresses in Game 2 later Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in the junior high school boys’ division, Goodluck Okebata, a Lambunao, IloIlo native, achieved a personal milestone as he clinched the juniors MVP – UE’s first in 21 years.
The last player from UE to have raised the trophy was Julius Porlaje way back 2004 (Season 67).
The 6-foot-4 forward garnered 96.214 SPs with an average of 19.71 points, 13.43 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 blocks and 2.29 steals per contest with the reigning champion UE closing out its campaign at fifth fifth place (8-6).
