UST’s Eka Soriano expected to win UAAP Season 85 MVP
By Ernest Martin Tuazon
UST Growling Tigress Eka Soriano is set to be crowned MVP of the UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball tournament after retaining her lead in the statistical points (SPs) race to cap off the eliminations.
The product of Chiang Kai Shek College and Perpetual Help was regarded as one of the most consistent two-way players in the tournament as she posted averages of 14.36 points, 6.29 rebounds, and a league-best of 7.14 assists and 3.71 steals in 14 elimination games to tally 92.286 SPs.
Soriano is the third player under the UST women’s basketball program to win the award after the likes of Grace Irebu and Marichu Bacaro reigned in 2019 and 2008, respectively.
The 22-year-old guard was instrumental in the Growling Tigresses’ success after being able to steer the team to the third seed with an 11–3 record and disarming the DLSU Lady Archers of its twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four tournament last Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Ateneo’s Kacey Dela Rosa came in second with 77.0 SPs, but Soriano maintained the top spot in the MVP race due to the two missed games of Dela Rosa.
Rounding out the Mythical 5 are Ateneo guard Jhazmin Joson, Adamson big Victoria Adeshina, and UST’s top scorer Tacky Tacatac.
The Tigresses will face La Salle tomorrow, 3:00 p.m., at the SM Mall of Asia Arena to duel it out for the last Finals spot where the winner will face the six-peat NU Lady Bulldogs.
