La Salle's Mbala tunes out criticism, focuses on UAAP championship

MANILA, Philippines – There is no denying that Ben Mbala has been the most dominant force that college basketball has seen in quite some time.

Playing for De La Salle University by way of Southwestern University, Mbala has more than lived up to the hype: he has blown away every expectation of him. Last year, with the Cameroonian big man leading the way, the Green Archers lost only one game all season before roaring to the UAAP Season 79 crown.

Ben Mbala and the De La Salle Green Archers are back in the finals after beating Adamson last Saturday. Josh Albelda, ABS-CBN Sports

Mbala's 2017 campaign was arguably more impressive: he shone for his motherland in the 2017 Afro Basket, missing La Salle's first two UAAP Season 80 games in the process. Yet he was still the runaway winner for MVP honors, and last Saturday, he powered the Green Archers to their second straight finals appearance.

However, not everyone is pleased with the impact that Mbala has had on La Salle, the UAAP, and college sports in general.

Over the weekend, former Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagle Nico Salva caused a minor kerfuffle when he tweeted that the MVP award should go to a local player. Meanwhile, sports website Spin published a column by Ding Marcelo, where he bemoaned the legacy that Mbala will leave on Philippine sports.

Author: Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News
Full Article: http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/20/17/la-salles-mbala-tunes-out-criticism-focuses-on-uaap-championship