Power Rankings: July 17-21

By Paolo Mariano Posted Jul 23rd 2013

Are your fingernails still intact? Week 4 of UAAP Season 76 was all about nail-biting endings as all the games went down the wire. At the forefront of those furious finishes were five players, who simply stood out from the rest of the pack. The guy in the top spot shouldn’t be a surprise anymore, while three others made their second appearance on the list. As usual, we’ll give a shout out to those who almost made the cut like RR Garcia, Dan Alberto, Emmanuel Mbe, Ray Parks, Kiefer Ravena, and Almond Vosotros.
 
1. Terrence Romeo – FEU
Wins vs. NU and UST: 21.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG
Last week: No. 1
 
Can anyone stop this kid? For the fourth straight week, Romeo claimed the top spot in our Power Rankings. He had Ray Parks and Ed Daquioag—two of the better perimeter defenders in the league—trying to shackle him last week, but he still got the job done. Every time he attempts a shot, no matter where it is from, you anticipate that it’s going in. That’s how fantastic he has been. But again, he’s shown everyone that he’s not just a scorer anymore. Still any doubters there?
 
2. Charles Mammie – UE
Wins vs. Ateneo and La Salle: 19.5 PPG, 56.0% FGs, 19.5 RPG
Returnee

Truly, Mammie has returned. After sitting out their game against UST due to a suspension, the tireless import delivered arguably the league’s best back-to-back performances in a very long while. He turned in Charles Barkley-esque numbers in their huge wins over Ateneo and La Salle, including grabbing 12 offensive rebounds in each outing, almost outdoing the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers by himself. He actually has a strong chance of winning the MVP award in his first year.

3. Roi Sumang – UE
Wins vs. Ateneo and La Salle: 17.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 4.5 APG
Returnee

Perfectly complimenting Mammie’s Herculean effort inside is Sumang’s offensive assault. He once again delivered the killing blows in their pair of hard-earned wins last week. He outplayed Ravena and held his own against a red hot Vosotros. He’s almost unstoppable when he’s driving in full speed. A little more improvement in taking care of the ball and he can really carry the Red Warriors to the top. A win over the listless UP quintet this Saturday will push them over the .500 mark.

4. Jericho Cruz – Adamson
Wins vs. NU: 18 Pts, 4 Rebs, 3 Asts
Returnee
 
The high-scoring guard returned to our Fab Five thanks to a strong bounce back game against NU. After shooting a dismal 13-of-35 in their previous two games, Cruz registered a 50% marksmanship against the Bulldogs on his way to a game-high 18 points. He has what it takes to be one of the most potent offensive weapons in the league with his size and ability to finish in the paint. He just needs to improve on his shot selection and not fall in love with the three-point line.  

5. Chris Newsome – Ateneo
Win vs. UP: 13 Pts, 7 Rebs, 2 Asts
Newcomer

Finally, Newsome made it to the list. His numbers against UP may not be jaw-dropping, but his impact in the pivotal third quarter gave Ateneo enough cushion to withstand the Fighting Maroons. He scored six of his 13 markers in the period and more importantly, put the cuffs on Joseph Marata, who shot 1-of-5 after going 4-of-11 in the first half. He's can defend the 1-4 positions with his quickness, speed, and strength. Now, if only the Blue Eagles could gain momentum.