Martin San Diego | FCF

The top performers in this season’s UAAP and NCAA men’s basketball action will be feted tonight as the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps and SMART hold the Collegiate Basketball Awards at the Saisaki-Kamayan EDSA in Greenhills.

Coaches Juno Sauler of De La Salle and Boyet Fernandez of San Beda head the list of winners in the annual gathering held by scribes from various national broadsheets, tabloids and websites covering the collegiate basketball beat.

Sauler and Fernandez were chosen as Coach of the Year in their respective leagues for guiding their teams to the championship right on their rookie season.

Also to be named is the SMART Player of the Year, which will be given to one player who exemplified on-court brilliance, class and sportsmanship.

The award will be contested by members of this year’s Collegiate Mythical Five composed of Far Eastern University’s Terrence Romeo, Letran’s Raymond Almazan, De La Salle’s Jeron Teng, San Beda’s Ola Adeogun and National University’s Bobby Ray Parks.

Key members of La Salle and San Beda will also be recognized in the event supported by Smart Sports, Accel 3XV1, Gatorade, Meralco, Talk ‘N Text, Filoil Flying V, UAAP Season 76 host Adamson, NCAA Season 89 host College of St. Benilde and the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

Receiving special citations from the champion squads are Arnold Van Opstal and Art dela Cruz (Pivotal Player), Jason Perkins and Baser Amer (Impact Player) and Rome dela Rosa (Super Senior).

University of Santo Tomas’ Jeric Teng and FEU’s RR Garcia will also given the Super Senior award, an honor given to players who excelled during their final year of eligibility.