Itaas bags regular season MVP

SMF-Seabridge main man Leo Itaas captured the regular season most valuable player award of the 2004 UFO-San Miguel Cup.

Itaas (16 points, 6 rebounds and 3.4 steal per game) was awarded his MVP trophy in the first installment of the league’s two-part awards ceremonies held last Sunday prior to Game 1 of the championship between Visminda-Country House and SIP-Verizon at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Organizers also acknowledged league leaders in seven other categories namely scoring, free throw shooting, 3-point shooting, steals, assists, block shots and rebounds. UFO also gave away awards for most improved player and rookie of the year.

Winning the scoring crown was Julian Ranas (30 ppg) of Cavite-Pacific Islands Club. Cabalen-RP Construction’s Ronald Delos Reyes (73 percent) was the most accurate from the 15-foot line, while Joseph Achas (Four 3-pointers per game) of MAFILWA-McDonald was named 3-point king.

SIP playing-coach Rick Alegre (4 spg) and former teammate and FASA PABA-CNC Inc. top gun Jhun Estolas (5.4 apg) received the best in steals and best in assists awards, respectively. Bartenders-Alleviera Sports Bar center Dalewin Cortez (3 bpg) was the season’s Sultan of Swat winning the best in block shot award, while Tim Paez of Bayani was best in rebounds (12 rpg).

Itaas’ teammate Giovanni Pardinan also took home an award after getting the nod for most improved player. Former 14-and-under league MVP Kevin Cequena (15 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 apg, 3 stg) of FASA PABA captured the rookie of the year honor.

Visminda also had two players named in the Mythical Five selection as Jawn Joyner got the vote for starting center and Dado Vistal occupied one of two forward slots. The other forward slot was given to Cabalen’s Randy Arnedo, while Alegre and Estolas shared the backcourt.

For the first time UFO also gave out three sportsmanship awards this year. MAFILWA won the honor in the regular season, while Cabalen took the award for the playoffs. SIP’s Leo Factor, meanwhile, captured the sportsmanship award among players.

In the 3-point shootout held before the awarding ceremony, Sonny Lerio of SMF beat 11 other long-tom artists to bag the Rainbow King award. Lerio fired 12 points in the finals.

In the first round, Paul Magcalas of Cabalen was on fire connecting for 19 points and received a trophy for topping the eliminations.

Other participants of the 3-point shootout were SIP’s Brian Flores, Bayani and last year’s Rainbow King Joey Villegas, Visminda’s Vistal, MAFILWA’s Joseph Achas, Bartenders’ Marco Garcia, FASA’s Estolas, Bicol-Sabungero’s Jun Miday, MDX Amateur Radio Group’s Moreno Martin, Laguna-GEC Pawnshop’s Randy Arconado, and Cavite’s Raymond Tolentino. LIPS-JAM Construction didn’t had any entry.

Officials who graced the 2004 UFO-San Miguel Cup awards were Philippine Consul General Wilferdo L. Maximo, UFO president Nelida Atalig, league commissioner Ramon Await and Ed Reyes. Father Dondon Igrobay led the invocation.