Who are the TOP TEN UAAP Juniors Players of Season 76?

The 56 elims games in the UAAP Season 76 Juniors Division are over, and only four teams survived, with the powerhouse National University High School Bullpups sweeping all fourteen of their assignments. As a result, coach Jeff Napa’s boys automatically earned a berth in the Finals and, in addition, were gifted with a thrice-to-beat advantage over any team that will face them.

In essence, the Bullpups have the inside track to corner their second UAAP Juniors title in the last three years.

But before the fury of the Junior Finals is upon us, let us take a look back at the season and appreciate the top performers. Here we have the TOP TEN Juniors players from Season 76, based on their statistical points, with the #1 baller also named the UAAP Season 76 Juniors Most Valuable Player.

Thirdy Ravena led the Eaglets to second place after
the elimination round in Season 76.

10. Quinito Banzon (De La Salle-Zobel)

- Banzon doesn’t receive much fanfare, but he is one of the most efficient players not just on Zobel’s roster, but in the entire UAAP Juniors division. Once he gets open, he’s pretty much money (65% FG shooting when uncontested), and that’s one big reason he is second on the Junior Archers’ lineup in terms of scoring (12.1ppg). He is also a decent rebounder (6.6rpg) and defender (2.0spg). He still needs to work on creating his own shot and making plays for his teammates, but, since he should be back next year, it’s clear that the Greenies will still have a go-to-guy when Season 77 fires off.

9. Raymart Sablan (UP Integrated School)

- I first saw Sablan two years ago and he was already a dominating presence on the boards back then. The lanky baby-faced big man cleans glass for the Junior Maroons in pretty much the same way caterpillars make short work of flora. He is one of the rare double-double guys in the league (there are only five), and should he choose to go to the Maroons for college, then he will surely be someone to watch. He’s also an awesome defender, averaging 2.4 blocks per game (second in the league), but he will definitely need to work on finishing around the basket and his awful ( I mean AWFUL) free throw shooting (under 47%).

8. Diego Dario (UP Integrated School)

- The pint-sized Dario is the spitfire behind UP’s on-again, off-again offense. When Dario is on fire, the Junior Maroons can keep up with anyone, and more often than not, that is the case. Dario doesn’t have very high percentages (even when he’s open – just 35%), but he’s the UAAP Juniors equivalent of Stephon Marbury – a guy who loves to score through volume shooting. He is second in the league in average points (19.2ppg) and fourth in FGs made (88 total – 6.8 per game). I doubt if he will be considered a solid Seniors prospect, but, hey, if the Fighting Maroons are looking for someone brave enough to take dozens of shots at the basket, then Dario is their man (think a less potent version of Mike Gamboa).

Diego Dario of UPIS tries to shake off Hubert Cani of NU.

7. Renzo Subido (De La Salle-Zobel)

- As good as Dario was for UPIS, however, this guy Subido takes the cake as the UAAP Juniors division’s most dangerous offensive machine. Though he’s also on the diminutive side, Subido can slice, dice, and finish against even the best (and tallest) defenders. Recruited by Zobel out of the Lourdes School of Mandaluyong grade school team (along with Alfred Sajulga and brothers Aljun and Aleck Melecio), Subido has shown his affinity for putting the ball in the basket as far back as his sophomore year. In Season 76, he led the entire league in scoring (20.1ppg). He’s awfully dangerous when left open (nearly 57% accuracy), and he’s a respectable FT shooter (70%). He’s also a good defender (1.7spg), but he’ll need to work on his playmaking if he is hoping for a regular roster spot in the Seniors division.

Renzo Subido (4) & Quinito Banzon (19) were the two
best Junior Archers this season.
(image from Filoil Flying V Sports)

6. Mike Nieto (Ateneo de Manila)

- The kid Ateneans call “Big Mike” isn’t so big when ranged alongside some of the Juniors division’s other centers, but what he may lack in height, he more than makes up for in heft and diskarte. He boxes out like a beast and has great timing when going for rebounds or loose balls. He also has a decent midrange game, and is a pretty good finisher in the paint. He is one of two Ateneans who normed double-doubles in the elims – 13.2ppg, and 12.2rpg. Of course, the knock on the third-year player is he is definitely not tall enough to play in the paint in the Seniors, so he will have to diversify his game next season. He will also have to cut down on those turnovers – 2.3 per game, which is a little too much for a guy who plays primarily inside.

Mike Nieto fights for the rebound against DLSZ.
(image by Arvin Lim/Fabilioh)

5. Hubert Cani (National University)

- There are maybe really just around three guys in the entire Juniors division who can play in the Seniors RIGHT NOW, and Cani is one of them (the other two are coming up soon, don’t worry). The former Energen Pilipinas RP-Youth player is maybe the league’s best guard. He can shoot from long range, drive strong to the hoop, or set-up his teammates for easy buckets. He’s just so versatile. He normed nearly 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 dimes in the elims, leading the Bullpups back into the Finals for the third year in a row. He’ll need to lessen his TOs and shoot better from the line, but, all in all, Cani should a sure thing for the Bulldogs next year.

Hubert Cani soars high for the fastbreak lay-up.

4. Reinier Quinga (Adamson)

- Quinga is the proverbial great player stuck in a bad team. Think of maybe Greg Monroe on the Detroit Pistons. It’s a shame, really, since Quinga has an enviable skill-set. He has a decent midrange game, he finishes well around the basket, he rebounds like crazy (26 in one game!!!), and leads the league in blocked shots (2.6bpg). By all indications, should Quinga become a bona fide Soaring Falcon, then he has the potential to become the next Rodney Brondial, and that, my friends, is a good thing.

Reinier Quinga might be Adamson's next
solid big man.

3. John Cauilan (National University)

- The second guy who has the tools to play in the Seniors right now is this kid. The versatile stretch-forward started all the games he played in for NU, averaging about 16 points and 8 boards. He shot 51% from the field and about 30% from beyond the arc, which is respectable for a big man. His length and his handles remind me of Kevin Ferrer when the UST swingman was still in high school. With someone like Denice Villamor playing out his eligibility this season, Cauilan should be a prime prospect for NU’s Seniors squad in the very near future.

Raymart Sablan (14) of UPIS and John Cauilan (18) of NU
square off in transition.

2. Mark Dyke (National University)

- If one looks at Dyke’s numbers, it would be easily forgivable to think of the NU slotman as a veteran, but the fact is this is Dyke’s first UAAP season. Hard to believe? Yes, especially when, again, one glances at his super stat-line – 13.0ppg, 16.6rpg, 55.5% FG shooting (#1 in the league), including 52% when defended and an eye-popping 100% when wide open. Like Mike Nieto, Dyke isn’t the tallest slotman one will see in the Juniors, but, man, hardly anybody outworks him, and he is the undisputed king of the boards (he is tops in total rebounds and offensive rebounds). It's a pity, however, that Dyke is no longer eligible next season. 

Mark Dyke (7) tries to foil the attempt
of Thirdy Ravena (15).

1. Thirdy Ravena (Ateneo de Manila)

- When Ravena started out in the Juniors division two season ago, he was playing out of position mostly as a shooting guard, but the kid grew a couple of inches last season and inherited the starting SF spot. This year, he played mostly as a 3, but also got a lot of time as a stretch 4 for coach Joe Silva. That's a big reason why he raked in a couple of triple-doubles, and also why his stat-line looks like this – around 19 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block a game. Perhaps the only chinks in his armor are a suspect outside shot, inconsistent free throw shooting, and a propensity to turn the ball over (he is third in the league with 3.9 per game). If he can fix those things, then it won’t be very long before he becomes a vital cog for the Blue Eagles in years to come. Oh, and did I mention he can jump out of the gym like crazy, and that he has been officially publicized as the Season 76 Juniors Most Valuable Player? Boom.

Thirdy slams one home against the Baby Falcons.
(image by Gil Salandanan)

Unless otherwise specified, all images are by Richard Esguerra/UAAPSports.tv)

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