Collegiate basketball’s prominence overwhelms the sport’s landscape here in the country. Men’s and Women’s college hoops are breeding grounds for promising athletes to mold into bonafide superstars. To represent the eight universities in the UAAP or the ten schools in the NCAA is a dream many aspirants work towards as school band drums and raucous crowds coalesce for a spectacle unlike any other local sporting event.
Describing the style of play during the 2010s in Collegiate basketball is tricky because of the major shift offensively with the influx of three-point attempts. The inside play that dominated the first half of the decade faded as pace and space offense became key to scoring more points.
The three major factors of greatness are winning, personal accolades, and cultural relevance. One big trend present this decade was the prominence of high-scoring volume shooters who in some games, go unconscious scoring from anywhere on the court. The presence of towering centers also dictated whose defense was most effective. The best players in the 2010s made a name for themselves and created a culture of winning that their respective schools still feel today.
These talented athletes showed their worth and proved their capabilities for their schools and made fans of the collegiate game take note of their names.
Here are our picks of the top 5 college basketball players from 2010 to 2019.
Honorable mentions
Calvin Abueva (San Sebastian Stags 2009-2012): 2009 NCAA Champion, 2011 NCAA MVP*, 3x NCAA Mythical 5, 16 double-doubles; 4 triple-doubles in 2012 season (S88)
Bobby Ray Parks (NU Bulldogs 2011-2013): 2x UAAP MVP, 3x UAAP Mythical 5
UAAP Career Average: 20.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.1 bpg
Thirdy Ravena (Ateneo Blue Eagles 2014-2019) 3x UAAP Champion (2017-2019), 3x UAAP Finals MVP, 2x Mythical 5 (2018-2019), UAAP Finals average: 25.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.4 apg, perfect 16-0 season
Jeron Teng (De La Salle Green Archers 2012-2016): 2x UAAP Champion (2013, 2016), 2x UAAP Finals MVP, 4x UAAP Mythical 5, UAAP Rookie of the Year (2012)
Mac Belo (FEU Tamaraws 2012-2015): 2015 UAAP Champion, 2015 UAAP Finals MVP, 2014 UAAP Mythical 5
Scottie Thompson (University of Perpetual Help System DALTA 2011-2015): 3x NCAA Mythical 5, 2012 NCAA Most Improved Player, 2015 NCAA Most Valuable Player, No. 6 retired by Perpetual Help
G: Kiefer Ravena
Playing Years: Ateneo Blue Eagles 2011-2015
Accolades: 2011 UAAP Rookie of the Year, 2x UAAP Champion (2011-2012), 2x UAAP MVP (2014-2015), 3x UAAP Mythical 5
Coming out of a very successful high school basketball career, Kiefer Ravena was already considered to be special. With the moniker “Phenom”, Ravena won Rookie of the Year honors and helped the Blue Eagles win their fourth and fifth consecutive UAAP championship under head coach Norman Black. He then went on to win back-to-back MVP honors in 2014 and 2015, the last Filipino to win the award until Kevin Quiambao in 2023.
G: Robert Bolick
Playing Years: De La Salle Green Archers (2013-2014), San Beda Red Lions (2015-2018)
Accolades: 2013 UAAP Champion, 3x NCAA Champion (2016-2018), 2018 NCAA Mythical 5, 2018 NCAA Scoring Champion, 2017 NCAA Assist Leader
Robert Bolick started his collegiate career on the bench on the talented 2013 De La Salle championship team. In 2015, he took his talents to the San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA and blossomed into the star we now know him to be, winning three chips for the Red Lions and leading them in scoring throughout his San Beda career including a career-best 50 point game in 2018.
F: Afril Bernardino
Playing Years: NU Lady Bulldogs (2013-2017)
Accolades: 3x UAAP MVP, 3x UAAP Champion, S78 FMVP
Perhaps no team defined greatness and success more in this decade than the NU Lady Bulldogs. Afril Bernardino was present during the inception of this juggernaut team winning their first championship in her second season. There was no looking back from there as Bernardino and her team would go unbeaten for the rest of her stay in NU collecting two more championships, three league MVP honors, and a finals MVP award in 2015.
PF: Jack Animam
Playing Years: NU Lady Bulldogs (2014-2019)
Accolades: 5x UAAP Champion, 2017 UAAP MVP, 2018 UAAP Finals MVP, 4x Mythical 5, unbeaten her whole UAAP career
Jack Animam dominated the UAAP. As the NU Lady Bulldog’s starting center from 2014 to 2019, Animam did not lose a single game throughout her UAAP career winning five consecutive championships. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, she also collected accolades, bagging Rookie of the Year honors in her first season, UAAP MVP in her third season, and Finals MVP in her fourth season with the powerhouse Lady Bulldogs.
C: Angelo Kouame
Playing Years: Ateneo Blue Eagles (2018-2022)
Accolades: 3x UAAP Champion (2018-2019, 2022) UAAP MVP, 2022 UAAP Finals MVP, perfect 16-0 season, 2018 UAAP Rookie of the Year
Ange Kouame entered the UAAP at the same time Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin figured out winning in the UAAP. In his first season, Kouame nabbed Rookie of the Year honors and helped the Blue Eagles repeat as champions in 2018. The following season, the Blue Eagles rattled off an unprecedented perfect season, going 16-0 en route to complete the dynasty envisioned by Coach Baldwin. Ange would finish his UAAP career with MVP honors in his third season and his first Finals MVP and third championship for the Blue and White in his final season in 2022.
