MANILA -- Paolo Hernandez's heroics has helped Mapua University emerge as one of the top teams midway through the first round of the NCAA Season 99 basketball tournament.

In five games, the Cardinals have compiled a 4-1 win-loss record, with wins over San Sebastian College-Recoletos, San Beda University, College of Saint Benilde, and Emilio Aguinaldo College. Their lone defeat came against Jose Rizal University.

In their back-to-back wins over the Blazers and the Generals, homegrown forward Hernandez has shone, allowing him to earn the season's second Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week honors for the period Oct. 3 to 9.

• NCAA: Hernandez plays hero anew, tows Mapua past EAC
• NCAA: Hernandez’s late-game heroics propel Cardinals over Blazers

He edged teammate Clint Escamis, Lyceum's Mclaude Guadana and John Barba, JRU's Agem Miranda for the weekly award presented by San Miguel Corporation and backed by minor sponsors Discovery Suites and Jockey.

The 6-foot-3 wingman, who delivered 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists over those two victories, hit the game-winning jumpers in the payoff periods of both games to allow Mapua to forge a two-way tie at the second spot with the Heavy Bombers at 4-1.

Down by one against Benilde last October 4, Hernandez hit the dagger jumper with 22 seconds remaining in the match before sealing the victory with three conversions from the charity stripe.

He mirrored this on Sunday when he hit a step-back midrange jumper to break a 69-all deadlock against EAC while also making a crucial deflection on the defensive end en route to the win.

Despite these, Hernandez deflected all the credit and said that these were all a result of the team's efforts and hard work.

"We just stayed composed lang, and nagtiwala kami sa mga coaches, sa mga teammates. May tiwala kami sa isa't isa," he said.

"Yung shots ko na 'yun, dahil 'yun sa teammates ko. Sa assist ni Clint, sa box out ng mga big man, especially Jopet Soriano. Lahat 'yon, yung shots na 'yon, kami yung tumira no'n."

But Mapua coach Randy Alcantara was quick to praise his veteran.

"Kaya siya yung pinuntahan ko kasi tiwala ako sa kanya eh. Alam ko, may desisyon siyang maganda nung huli. Pwede niyang itira, pwede niyang ipasa," the long-time Mapua mentor said.