MANILA, Philippines – De La Salle wingman Ricci Rivero stood out among his peers and earned this week's UAAP Press Corps-Chooks To Go Player of the Week award of the 80th UAAP men's basketball tournament.
Rivero helped the defending champions steady their ship this week after ending their first round on a sour note losing to archrival Ateneo, 76-75.
The Green Archers registered two straight wins this week to improve to a 6-2 slate, with Rivero averaging 20 points, three assists and 3.5 steals.
Rivero said he just tried to play straight defense and that the offense will follow through as long as he got to his right spots.
"At first I always think of ways of helping the team and the coaches just told me to just stick to the game plan and they will find me on offense," said Rivero.
"I'll just do my job and they'll help me get my offense going."
Rivero's more impactful game of the week came in the Green Archers' 75-73 victory over Far Eastern University.
The second-year guard carried the offensive responsibilities for La Salle with 20 points, on 9-of-15 shooting, when Ben Mbala struggled the offensive floor on 5-of-16 shooting.
Rivero beat Mbala, Thirdy Ravena of Ateneo and Mark Olayon of University of the East for the weekly plum given by the league's beat writers from broadsheets, tabloids and online publications.