University of the Philippines center Malick Diouf would rather focus on helping his team retain the title than dwell on the fact that he is about to receive the highest individual honor in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85 men’s basketball tournament.
The big man from Senegal downplayed his recognition as season Most Valuable Player as he and the rest of the Fighting Maroons set their eyes on a repeat against the same squad they dethroned just seven months ago.
“(If) I win the MVP, I think it’s just like something. I’m not thinking about it, I’m just focusing on the finals because that’s the most important (thing) for the team,” Diouf, the Season 84 Finals MVP, said.
“So, that’s why, I don’t like people calling me MVP.”
The Senegalese student-athlete played a monster game, finishing with a double-double of 17 points and 21 rebounds to go with three blocks, and two assists to lead UP to a 69-61 win over National University in the Final Four on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Diouf’s performance fueled the Fighting Maroons’ return to the finals for the third time in four seasons.
UP will face Ateneo de Manila University, which ran over Adamson University, 81-60, in the other semis pairing, in the best-of-three championship series set to begin on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde lauded his ward not only for his work inside the court this season but also for the leadership and inspiration he brings to the Fighting Maroons.
“Well, I see Malick, you know, besides the title, his effort, for me, every day even in practice, even outside the way he leads his team, the way he gives advices. Everyday he’s being an MVP for our team,” he said.
Diouf collected 73.857 statistical points to outshine his closest pursuer for the award, Ateneo guard Forthsky Padrigao (71.571 SPs).
He had a double-double average of 10.8 points and 10.9 rebounds to go with 2.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.6 blocks per game in 14 games of action in the elimination round.
Diouf’s consistent performance powered UP to 11 wins in 14 games, finishing at the No. 2 spot behind the Blue Eagles in the eliminations.
He is the first UP player to receive the highest individual honor after Nigerian Bright Akhuetie won the award in 2018 and the sixth straight foreign student athlete to become season MVP.
Ben Mbala of De La Salle University who got consecutive awards in 2016 and 2017, Akhuetie, University of Santo Tomas’ Soulmane Chabi Yo and Ange Kouame of Ateneo were the other foreign cagers to clinch the award.
