Allan Mangahas of the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) was named Rookie of the Year in this season’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament. Allan tops all rookie in points and in minutes played. Mangahas, the younger brother of James Mangahas of De la Salle – Manila, helped the Cardinals beat the San Beda Red Lions last Friday at the Cuneta Astrodome.

University of Perpetual Help’s Center Raffy Ynion took the Most Improved Player Award. Ynion played for the Atlas this season averaging 8.6 points per 22.4 minutes.

Meanwhile, San Beda Red Lion’s Center Sam Ekwe bags his second (2nd) Most Valuable Player Award. He edged Jason Ballesteros of San Sebastian Stags because of a new league rule that allows only players from Final Four teams to qualify for the top individual award.

Jason Ballesteros on the other hand, received the Defensive Player Award. Ballesteros averaged 3.4 blocks per game.

This season’s Mythical Team includes Stag’s Ballesteros, Lion’s Ekwe, Bomber’s Hayes, Cardinal’s Neil Pascual and Knights’s Jazul.

The event will have a very special guests to bring more fun.

Be there to watch each school’s players and muses vie for Mr. and Mrs. NCAA 2008 title.

After nine rounds in the 2008 Sydney International Open Chess Tournament, which was held on 25-29 March at Parramatta Town Hall, Australia, JJ De Ramos of Mapua Institute of Technology, seeded 27th, finished 21st. He had 5 1/2 points by beating Kalisch Tom, Stojic Svetozar, Nguyen Thu Giang, Hu Jason, Dotsenko Viacheslav and a draw with FM Goldenberg Igor.

De Ramos lost all his games with a GM. His performance rating is 2355.