MANILA, Philippines – He may not be like his 49-point dropping predecessor Alvin Pasaol, but University of the East’s (UE) Rey Suerte is definitely leaving a mark in his one-and-done season in the UAAP. 

The 2018 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc (CESAFI) MVP made it rain 31 points, setting this season’s highest points record in a single game against traditional powerhouse La Salle last September 14. (READ: Suerte eager to leave legacy in UE)

Suerte knocked in the game-winner to end the game with a 5-of-7 clip from beyond the arc to go with 7 boards and 3 assists as UE squeaked past the Green Archers, 89-88. 

Trailing closely behind Suerte, though, are National University’s (NU) Dave Ildefonso, who poured 29 points in their opening game against Adamson, and La Salle’s Encho Serrano, who matched the number to cap off La Salle’s first round of eliminations with a win over University of Santo Tomas (UST). 

In the rebounding department, UE’s Alex Diakhite set the tone by grabbing 21 rebounds which unfortunately resulted in an opening game loss to UST. 

The league’s foreign student athletes have been dominating the glass as leading MVP candidate Chabi Yo of the UST Growling Tigers follows with 20 boards made against NU, while Adamson’s Lenda Douanga, Ateneo’s Angelo Kouame, and Far Eastern University’s (FEU) Pat Tchuente recorded the season’s third-highest number of rebounds of 19 each. 

In creating plays, Adamson’s Val Chauca, La Salle’s Andrei Caracut, University of the Philippines’ (UP) Jun Manzo and FEU’s LJ Gonzales top the season record with 8 dimes apiece. 

Ildefonso brothers Shaun and Dave have been busy capitalizing on some butterfingers as Shaun leads the single game record for steals with 5 in the game against La Salle, while Dave and Ateneo’s Matt Nieto are tied with 4 steals each. 

UAAP Season 81 Rookie of the Year Kouame continues to make the most of his skill in blocking as he made 7 denials in a single game twice – in the lopsided win over NU, and the Finals rematch against UP. 

The Blue Eagles’ Ivorian center continues to prove that he dominates the statistic as he opened Ateneo’s UAAP campaign with 6 blocks against Adamson. 

Only FEU’s Tchuente was able to match Kouame’s 6 blocks in the Tamaraws’ bounce-back win over the Soaring Falcons. – Rappler.com