MANILA, Philippines – Basketball, a sport that captivates audiences with its dynamic plays and thrilling finishes, is often referred to as a numbers game.

In the UAAP Men’s Basketball league, these numbers take center stage, revealing the players who have been instrumental in their teams’ success.

For UAAP Season 86, Rappler lists the top performers in various scoring categories, exploring the precision of their shots, both beyond the arc and inside the paint. The figures are based on November 15, 2023 data released by the UAAP.

Overall top scorers

Despite the challenging season that placed the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers at the bottom of the heap, the shooting skills of team captain Nic Cabañero stand out, establishing him as the top scorer among all players.

Throughout the 13 games this season, Cabañero demonstrated his scoring prowess, accumulating a total of 227 points and maintaining an impressive average of 17.46 points per game.

The UST star is followed by MVP frontrunner Kevin Quiambao, who delivered 220 points and 16.92 on average.

Claiming the third spot in the leaderboard is University of the East’s (UE) Rey Remogat with 215 points (16.54 on average).

Other graduating seniors on this list are Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws’ guard LJ Gonzales with 203 points (15.62 on average) and University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons captain CJ Cansino with 151 (12.58 on average).

UAAP Rookie of the Year frontrunner Precious Momowei has so far delivered 150 points, or 12.5 points on average. However, the UE player’s chance of climbing the leaderboard is hanging in the balance after being slapped with a suspension due to a second unsportsmanlike foul.

Averaging 12.17 points per game, reigning MVP Malick Diouof of UP ranked 7th with 146 total points.

He is followed by Ateneo’s 6-foot-7 high-flying forward Kai Ballungay and National University’s Jake Figueroa. Both Ballungay and Figueroa each posted a total score of 155 points with an average of 11.92 points per game.

Meanwhile, UST’s Christian Manaytay and FEU’s Jorick Bautista have so far scored 155 overall points, averaging 11.85 in each match.

Who are three-point kings?

In terms of long-range prowess, Jorick Bautista from FEU reigns supreme, boasting a 43.21% accuracy from beyond the arc in 13 games. Trailing closely is Ateneo’s Mason Amos with a 41.51% success rate over the same number of games.

De La Salle University’s (DLSU) Mark Nonoy secures the third spot, showcasing his proficiency with a 40.74% three-point accuracy in 12 games. UE’s Rey Remogat and Adamson’s Matt Erolon follow suit, posting percentages of 38.46% and 36.96%, respectively, over 13 games each.

Cansino and Ateneo’s Jared Brown demonstrate their three-point prowess with 36.62% and 36.25% accuracy, in 12 and 13 games, respectively.

UE’s Jack Cruz-Dumont (35.9%), Wello Lingolingo (35.38%) also a Red Warrior, and Quiambao (35.29%), round out the top performers in the three-point category.

Who are top two-point shooters?

Raven Cortez of DLSU has been an absolute force in the paint, converting an impressive 68.09% of his two-point attempts in just nine games, while Mike Malonzo (NU) follows closely at 62.26% over 13 games.

Malick Diouf from UP secures the third spot, showcasing his scoring prowess with a 58.82% success rate.

Ateneo’s Joseph Obasa and Figueroa are not far behind, posting 57.69% and 57.32%, respectively, over 13 games each.

NU’s Omar John maintains a strong presence with a 56.76% conversion rate in 13 games, while Cansino exhibits efficiency at 56.6% in 12 games.

Ballungay rounds out the top 8 with a solid 54.55% success rate over 13 games, followed by UST’s Angelo Crisostomo at 51.79% in 13 games, and NU’s PJ Palacielo with 50.67% over 13 games.

Who’s best at free throw line?

Nelle leads the pack with an impressive free throw percentage of 89.66%. In 12 games, he made 26 out of 29 attempts, demonstrating remarkable consistency from the free throw line.

Nash Enriquez of NU secures the second spot with an 88.89% free throw percentage. Having played 8 games, Enriquez made 16 successful shots out of 18 attempts.

UE’s Remogat showcases a solid performance, boasting an 87.5% free throw percentage. In 13 games, Remogat made 42 out of 48 attempts.

JD Cagulangan of UP stands at the fourth position with an 83.33% free throw percentage, followed by Figueroa with 82.93.

Manaytay (77.42), Abdul Sawat (74.36), UP’s Harold Alarcon (73.53), Blue Eagles’ Amos (73.53) and Ian Espinosa (73.08) also made it to the top 10.

– Rappler.com

TEAM STANDINGS: UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball