By Jerome Lagunzad
The brightest young stars will align tonight as the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps fetes the Mythical Team of the 2017 season in the Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Basketball Awards at The Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros.
San Beda’s heady playmaker Robert Bolick and Ateneo’s do-it-all wingman Thirdy Ravena will join reigning NCAA MVP CJ Perez of Lyceum, La Salle counterpart Ben Mbala and Blue Eagle guard Matt Nieto as part of the esteemed group which will be feted in the annual awards night sponsored by Chooks-to-Go.
The 5-foot-11 Bolick, who continued his remarkable rise from a benchwarmer to one of the current toasts in the collegiate scene, emerged as the hands-down choice of sportscribes covering the beat after leading the Red Lions to their 21st title behind a pair of Finals MVP-worthy performances.
Not to be outshone were the Ravena and Nieto, who also played instrumental roles in the Blue Eagles’ dramatic ascend to the top in an epic three-game finals duel with their bitter rival Green Archers.
Also set to be honored in the event backed by The Bayleaf Intramuros and Cherrylume are the 6-foot-1 Perez and the 6-foot-7 Mbala who both proved a cut above the rest to become the top individual performers in their respective leagues.
Perez turned out to be the major force behind the Pirates’ bold transformation as one of the cellar dwellers to a legit title force underscored by a historic 18-game sweep of the elimination round.
Although they were outclassed by Bolick and the Red Lions via a two-game finals sweep, Perez and the Pirates redeemed themselves by clinching the Philippine Collegiate Champions League title and the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup crown under the colors of Zark’s Burgers.
