Standouts of the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Xtreme was honored Monday night before Game 2 of the National Finals between the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards and Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.
Named to the Mythical Team were Jaycee Marcelino of Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, Hesed Gabo and Will McAloney of the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, Judel Fuentes of the San Juan Knights and Cedric Ablaza of Batangas City Embassy Chill.
Each of these players received P10,000, courtesy of Ryan David Roxas of David Roxas Construction.
The MPBL 4th Season MVP, who will come from the Mythical Team, will be named in Game 3 of the National Finals to be held at the Mayor Vitaliano Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City on December 9.
Other major awardees this season are Kyt Jimenez of the Sarangani Marlins as Rookie of the Year, Mark Yee of Bacolod Bingo Plus as Defensive Player of the Year, Archie Concepcion of the Pampanga Giant Lanterns as Homegrown Player of the Year and Jay-R Taganas of Nueva Ecija as the Sportsmanship awardee.
Jimenez will get P15,000 plus an overnight stay at Buracai de Laiya courtesy of Robert Cay, who designated his son Lester to present the award.
Yee will get a one-year supply of DFence Vitamin C from Cnf Pharmaceutical Products through Bernard Fernandez and P5,000 from the MPBL. Taganas got P15,000 from Pound For Pound Fitness.
Nueva Ecija team owner Bong Cuevas was named the Lucio Tan Jr. MPBL Executive of the Year.
MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes presented the Mythical Team members and Cuevas with their individual trophies.
Head of Operations Emmer Oreta presented the award to Kyt Jimenez, League Executive Joe Ramos presented the award to Concepcion and Chief of Security Rudy Distrito presented the award to Taganas.
The Rice Vanguards, the North division champion, subdued the South division champion Zamboanguenos, 81-75, in Game 1 of the best-of-five Finals on December 2 also held at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum.