FEU’s Janrey Pasaol charges as UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball MVP frontrunner

Janrey Pasaol charged all the way to the top of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball MVP race as the elimination round came to a close.

Across 14 games, the FEU guard racked up 81.5 statistical points (SPs), asserting himself as the frontrunner in one of the most tightly contested seasons in league history. 

With those results, Pasaol is on track to become the first MVP from the Tamaraws since Terrence Romeo captured the award in Season 76 in 2013.

But while the 21-year-old enjoyed a standout individual campaign, the season proved bittersweet for his team.

FEU’s Final Four hopes came down to the wire, needing an Ateneo victory over rival La Salle.

The Green Archers, though, had other plans and claimed a 78–72 win against the Blue Eagles to claim the last Final Four berth, leaving the Tamaraws just short of a semifinals spot.

[ALSO READ: Sean Chambers proud of FEU's growth as team exceeds expectations in UAAP]

That is after FEU pocketed a 81-79 escape over playoff-bound UST in its season finale to finish 7–7 and in fifth place.

Trailing Pasaol in the MVP race is La Salle’s do-it-all forward Mike Phillips, with 80.429 SPs after leading the race early in the season.

UST rookie Collins Akowe is close behind in third with 79.286 SPs, while NU’s Jake Figueroa (77.276) and UE big man Precious Mommowei (75.14) rounded out the top five.

[ALSO READ: La Salle’s Mike Phillips leads close MVP race after round 1 of UAAP Season 88]

The UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball Final Four begins Wednesday, December 3, with twice-to-beat NU and defending champion UP facing La Salle and UST, respectively.

[ALSO READ: UAAP Final Four Schedule: No. 1 NU vs DLSU, reigning champ UP vs UST begin Dec. 3]

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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.

Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.