GAMES TOMORROW
(The Arena, San Juan)
11 a.m. – UP vs. NU
5 p.m. – UE vs. FEU
REIGNING UAAP Most Valuable Player Bella Belen is setting her sights on leading National University to the Promised Land rather than winning another individual plum.
The two-time MVP, after the first round of the eliminations, led the statistical points in the women’s division with 159.600 SPs while ranking seventh in scoring with 107 points.
The 5-foot-8 outside spiker finished first in service aces with 0.63 per set, fifth in receiving with 33.58% efficiency rate, sixth in digging with 2.50 per set and eighth in spiking efficiency with 33.47%.
Over the weekend, Belen and the Lady Bulldogs cruised to their eighth consecutive win in the tournament with a four-setter victory against the DLSU Lady Spikers.
Belen, who won MVP honors in Season 84 (2022) and Season 86 (2024), shrugged off notions she could bag another MVP honor, stressing she intends to help her team climb the ladder of success.
“Naniniwalaakonaiyong awards nasatabilangiyan. Angkailangankolanggawin, kung anoiyongmai-contribute kosa team and ayunnga team effort naman so di konamansiyamagagawa without the help of my teammates,” she said.
“Akokasi gusto kolanglagitinataasiyong level ng paglalarokokasiiyonngamaramingmgabatanapumapasoksa UAAP namagaling so akodapatitaasko pa iyong level ng laro and iyong awards parang bonus langsa player. Kailanganlang naming magsumikap and iyonlang din namaniyong goal namin this season.”
The decorated spiker said that since her rookie year in 2022, when she won the Rookie of the Year and MVP at the same time, she has become more mature as a player.
NU mentor Sherwin Meneses, who also handles MVPs in the pro ranks like Alyssa Valdez, acknowledged Belen’s leadership.
“Number 1 talagapaghandleniyasa team, in or out sa court, number 1 namaniyan. Iyongpagka-captain ball niya, nandiyaniyongmga seniors natalagangnahahandleniya ng maayos. Number 1 sa team talagaiyanpanomoiha-handle iyongmga mas bata. Sobrangbilib din talagaakosa leadership niya,” he said.
NU goes for its ninth straight win tomorrow, Wednesday, when it takes on the UP Fighting Maroon at The Arena in San Juan.
