After taking a big step in his personal development, Kennedy Batas hopes to bring the Blue Eagles along with him and put Ateneo back to the UAAP Final Four.
Kennedy Batas has bigger goals for the Ateneo Blue Eagles after taking a breakthrough MVP award in UAAP Season 87, becoming the first MVP awardee from the Katipunan-based team since Marck Espejo in Season 80.
Only the third Ateneo player to win MVP, Batas couldn’t help but lament being unable to lead his team to the Final Four in his third year.
But with things already shifting to preparations for Season 88, Batas said that he is optimistic of what the team can achieve later on, especially after showing promise in key moments of the season before unfortunately fizzling out.
“Yun nga, di namin ulit nakuha yung goal namin this season na mag-Final Four. Pero, confident ako,” Batas told One Sports after receiving the MVP award on Wednesday.
“Malakas yung pakiramdam ko na babawi yung team, babawi kami next year.”
[READ: Ateneo’s Kennedy Batas set to win breakthrough MVP in UAAP Season 87]
As for what the MVP award says about his skills, Batas deflected the credit to his coaches, and said that it was simply a product of how well he fit into the system that was implemented by first-year coach Vince Mangulabnan.
“Yung award na to, statement siya na sobrang suitable ako sa sistema na meron yung coaches. Siguro yung chance na rin siguro na binigay nila, hindi ko sila na-disappoint na yung trust na binigay nila sakin,” he said.
More than individual accolades, Batas looks back on the Season 87 tournament with a hint of optimism. Not just for himself and the Blue Eagles, but for the league overall.
Having been one of the faces of the league in recent years, Batas was happy to see that the support continues to grow for men’s volleyball.
“Gusto ko lang mag-thank you sa lahat ng sumusupporta sa team and sa akin and sa lahat ng mga teams ngayon, especially sa men’s. Nakaka-proud kasi ang dami nang sumusupporta,” he said.