BEN MBALA. The most dominant player of Season 79 in the UAAP vowed to remain a green-clad warrior in the next season as he wanted to keep the UAAP crown in the Taft trophy case. (INQUIRER).
Expect another season of mayhem as UAAP MVP Ben Mbala expects to return to La Salle to lead the Green Archers’ defense of their title, which they recently won with a sweep of rivals Ateneo on Wednesday.
Even with Finals MVP Jeron Teng gone after exhausting his playing years in the UAAP, the Cameroonian powerhouse is confident that they have enough to try and keep the crown in Taft.
“Yeah I think we can. We have a very deep lineup,” said Mbala, in a talk the morning after scoring 18 points and pulling down 10 rebounds to help the Archers vanquish the Blue Eagles in Game 2, 79-72, of the final series and hoist their ninth UAAP crown.
“It feels great especially since we got to do it against Ateneo,” added Mbala, easily the league’s most dominant player during season 79. He said that when the season started, he wasn’t quite confident with his abilities especially after sitting out three years—two years of residency and another as a penalty for playing in a basketball tournament in General Santos City while serving residency.
“I was rusty and lacked game experience but I was pretty motivated.”
While everyone already knows how the season eventually played out for Mbala and the rest of his green-clad brethren, the future remains unforeseen. And this, Mbala gave some thought on.
I will say I will graduate first and then go pro, of course,” shared Mbala of his future plans. “Where, it will depend on the offer.”
“I don’t really want to think about it now. But maybe (go overseas),” Mbala added.
As for the rumors regarding La Salle’s potential recruitment of former Perpetual Help star Bright Akhuetie, Mbala said that he had no knowledge whatsoever of how that was going.
“I don’t know. I am not the one doing the recruiting for La Salle,” he said.
For now though, Mbala says that he is due for a little “R and R” back home with his mother in two weeks time, and of course, savor the sweet taste of victory.
“I will just celebrate first!”
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