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UAAP: NU's Belen, UST's Ybañez named Players of the Week

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1711342634204UAAP 86 WVB - Bella Belen.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="NU&#x27;s Bella Belen. UAAP Media"/>NU&#x27;s Bella Belen. UAAP Media</div>MANILA -- A pair of rookie-MVPs showed their quality in crucial games en route to earning Player of the Week honors from the Collegiate Press Corps in the UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments. National University&#x27;s Bella Belen and University of Santo Tomas&#x27; Josh Ybañez displayed their all-around qualities on top of their leadership skills, and were given the citations for the period of March 20 to 24.Belen, the first player in the women&#x27;s tournament to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors in the same season, steered the Lady Bulldogs to a 2-0 record in the past week.She had 21 points, 12 excellent receptions, and eight excellent digs in a 25-21, 30-32, 25-17, 25-19 win over the University of the Philippines on Wednesday, then followed it up with a masterful 24-point, 13-dig, 10-reception line as NU handed UST its first loss of the tournament, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/24/no-sweep-belen-nu-end-ust-s-unbeaten-run-1856">READ: No sweep! Belen, NU end UST&#x27;s unbeaten run</a></div>&quot;Ayaw namin kasi maulit &#x27;yung nangyari noong La Salle game na after the game, mayroon kaming what ifs, mayroon kaming panghihinayang,&quot; said Belen, who earned the weekly honor for the second time this season.Belen bested her teammate Vange Alinsug, UST&#x27;s Reg Jurado, Ateneo&#x27;s Zel Tsunashima, UE&#x27;s Casiey Dongallo, and La Salle&#x27;s Angel Canino in a unanimous vote for the weekly award supported by minor sponsors Discovery Suites and Jockey.&quot;Siguro naging mindset lang namin is dapat after nitong game, wala kaming what ifs, kailangan ibigay talaga yung best namin and ‘yun, naging emotional po kaming lahat kasi talagang nakita namin na binigay namin ‘yung best namin,&quot; added Belen.Ybañez, the reigning men&#x27;s MVP, had a historic stretch. He exploded for 33 points in a sorry five-set loss to Ateneo last Wednesday, but made sure that another prolific scoring effort won&#x27;t go to waste on Sunday against defending champion NU.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1711342660424UAAP 86 MVB - Josh Ybanez.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="UST&#x27;s Josh Ybañez. UAAP Media"/>UST&#x27;s Josh Ybañez. UAAP Media</div>The high-leaping open spiker reset his career mark with 34 points on top of 25 receptions as the Golden Spikers erased a two-set deficit to stun the Bulldogs, 28-30, 22-25, 25-23, 25-22, 15-9.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/24/ybanez-sparks-ust-s-stunning-comeback-vs-nu-1538">READ: Ybañez sparks UST&#x27;s stunning comeback vs. NU</a></div>&quot;Masaya naman po ako kasi actually kahit hindi ko nakikita ‘yung score, as long as kaya kong mag-contribute sa team, kahit sa anong pamamaraan, sa malakas man o sa mahina, gagawin ko po ‘yun,&quot; said Ybañez, who won the weekly citation for the second straight time.The reigning MVP edged out Ateneo&#x27;s Jian Salarzon and Ken Batas, NU&#x27;s Jade Disquitado, Adamson&#x27;s Francis Casas, and FEU&#x27;s Jayjay Javelona.&quot;Sobrang happy ako kasi it&#x27;s a collaborative effort. Nag-contribute lang ako, pero ‘yung team ang nagpanalo,&quot; added Ybañez.With Belen at the helm, NU climbed to 7-2 to maintain a striking distance from leaders UST (8-1) and La Salle (7-1) for the coveted Top 2 and twice-to-beat Final Four incentives in the women&#x27;s division as Santo Tomas with a 5-4 slate stayed afloat in the Final Four race at joint fourth place with Ateneo in the men&#x27;s play behind Ybañez&#x27;s heroics.The UAAP volleyball tournaments take a break in observance of the Holy Week before resuming action on April 3 featuring the duels of NU-UE and UST-Adamson in both the women&#x27;s and men&#x27;s divisions at the Mall of Asia Arena.

A pair of rookie-MVPs showed their quality in crucial games en route to earning Player of the Week honors from the Collegiate Press Corps in the UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments.

A pair of rookie-MVPs showed their quality in crucial games en route to earning Player of the Week honors from the Collegiate Press Corps in the UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournaments.