Bella Belen
National University’s Bella Belen and Ateneo de Manila University’s Kennedy Batas emerged as the statistical leaders after the first round of the UAAP Season 87 collegiate volleyball tournament.
Belen, the 5-foot-8 outside spiker and former MVP in Seasons 84 and 86, led the women’s division with 159.600 statistical points (SPs). She ranked seventh in scoring with 107 total points, placed eighth in spiking efficiency at 33.47%, and topped the service department with 0.63 aces per set. Belen also ranked sixth in digs (2.60 per set) and fifth in reception efficiency (33.58%).
In the Best Outside Spiker race, Belen also led all players with 303 positional points (PPs), ahead of La Salle’s Angel Canino (267), Adamson’s Shaina Nitura (252), NU teammate Vange Alinsug (240), and UST rookie Angge Poyos (217).
Rounding out the top five in SPs were La Salle’s Shevana Laput (157.692), Nitura (145.556), Canino (141.538), and Alinsug (130.000). NU’s Alyssa Solomon (126.000), Poyos (120.345), UST’s Regina Jurado (113.103), NU’s Shaira Jardio (106.400), and Camilla Lamina (101.600) completed the top 10.
In other individual races, La Salle’s Lilay Del Castillo led the Best Middle Blocker category with 181 PPs, followed by Ateneo’s AC Miner (171), UE’s Riza Nogales (160), La Salle’s Amie Provido (158), and Ateneo’s Yvana Sulit (139).
Laput topped the Best Opposite Spiker standings with 274 PPs, while Solomon (214) and Jurado (185) trailed behind.
FEU’s Tin Ubaldo led all setters with 192 PPs. NU’s Lamina, the Season 84 Best Setter, followed with 173, while UST’s Cassie Carballo, the reigning Best Setter from Season 86, tallied 164.
In the libero race, Jardio took the lead with 205 PPs, followed by Adamson’s Juris Manuel (197) and UST’s two-time Best Libero Detdet Pepito (189).
On the men’s side, Ateneo’s Kennedy Batas led with 160.370 SPs after a strong first round showing. The Isabela native scored a league-best 142 points, ranked fourth in spiking efficiency (45.52%), fourth in aces (0.37 per set), and eighth in digs (1.44 per set).
UST rookie JJ Macam followed closely with 148.750 SPs, ahead of FEU’s Mikko Espartero (147.917), La Salle’s Noel Kampton (145.000), and UST’s Popoy Colinares (140.833).
Batas also topped the Best Opposite Spiker leaderboard with 230 PPs. FEU’s Dryx Saavedra (175), UST’s Jay Rack Dela Noche (158), Adamson’s Jude Aguilar (142), and NU’s Leo Ordiales (132) followed.
Macam dominated the Best Outside Spiker category with 281 PPs, outpacing Espartero (259) and Kampton (226).
Colinares led the Best Middle Blocker race with 245 PPs, while Ateneo’s Jettlee Gopio (194), Adamson’s Leo Caguimbal (185), FEU’s Doula Ndongala (141), and Ateneo’s Brian Castro (137) rounded out the top five.
UST’s Dux Yambao led all setters with 196 PPs, trailed by Ateneo’s Enzo Gutierrez (175), La Salle’s Eco Adajar (162), and Adamson’s Lourenz Domingo (162).
In the Best Libero race, La Salle senior and reigning awardee Nard Guerrero held the top spot with 210 PPs, followed by FEU’s Vennie Ceballos (201).