Abando shines as first Player of the Week for UAAP Season 82

Rhenz Abando has taken the league by storm in the first week of Season 82

The first Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Player of the Week went to a guy who took the league by storm on its opening week.

Rhenz Abando impressed basketball fans with a 22-point debut against the University of the East this past Wednesday, helping the University of Santo Tomas exact a 95-82 victory.

The Philippine College of Science and Technology transfer would follow that up three days later with twelve points, seven rebounds, and a couple of assists and steals to help the Growling Tigers stun last season's finalists, the University of the Philippines, 85-69.

All in all, the La Union native averaged seventeen points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, which elicited a unanimous decision amongst the print and online media in making the deliberations for the award. Rhenz would beat out his teammate Soulemane Chabi Yo, Mike Nieto and Gian Mamuyac of Ateneo, Lenda Douanga of Adamson, and L-Jay Gonzales of FEU for the nod.

UST head coach Aldin Ayo was all praise when asked about the forward's contributions. He says, "Ngayon, grateful ako na nangyayari yung ganito sa UST kasi si Rhenz, he's very talented, pero alam din niya kung anong kulang niya at dapat trabahuin niya." Aldin adds, "Si Rhenz, breadwinner 'to eh so when you have that player, 'di mo kailangan i-motivate 'yan. They're playing for their families and their community."