At 40, Asi Taulava of the San Miguel Beermen wins ABL Most Valuable Player Award

10 years ago, Asi won the MVP award in the PBA, who would have known that he will win it at 40 in the Asean Basketball League?

Representing the San Miguel Beermen, Taulava averaged 10.9 points per game and 7.4 rebounds, it may not be as big as it seem but his experience has definitely boost the winning salvo of the Beermen, who will be facing the Indonesia Warriors once more for the ABL Finals starting Friday.

"We have some very talented players in our league, and any one of them would have made an excellent ASEAN MVP - and it is a testament to Asi Taulava that he was selected by the teams for this award," said ABL CEO Anthony Macri. "It has been an honor and a privilege to have Asi in the AirAsia ASEAN Basketball League this season. He was the go-to post player down the stretch of big games for the San Miguel Beermen all year long, and always seemed to deliver. He is a great ambassador of the game to the region as well, and I hope he has a few more years of play left in him for basketball fans throughout ASEAN to enjoy

Taulava bested out his Fil-Italian team mate, Chris Banchero, who despite being injury-hobbled managed to lead the team in points, assists and steals, Sports Rev Thailand Slammers’Froilan Baguion, Saigon Heat’s Jai Reyes and Indonesia Warriors’ Mario Wuysang.

 

Note: Asi was the second Beerman winning the Most Valuable Player Award after Leo Avenido in 2012.

Read more »

Asi Taulava's PBA rights still belong to Meralco

Asi Taulava may have signed with the SMC bankrolled ABL team San Miguel Beermen, but if in case he decides to return to the PBA, his rights of first refusal still belongs to the Meralco Bolts.

The Meralco center's contract expired last August 31 and didn't renew it to eventually join the San Miguel Beermen, who plays in the Asean Basketball League. Should Taulava decide to come back to the PBA, he could only sign with Meralco directly after his stint with SMB in the ABL. SMC bankrolls San Mig Coffee, Ginebra San Miguel and Petron Blaze Boosters.

Before he opted to sign with San Miguel, Meralco offered Taulava a two-year pact.

“The ABL is only played once a week, so it means he will have more time to spend with his family,” said Taulava’s agent Sheryl Reyes in explaining his decision to leave Meralco, with which he spent two seasons.

Read more »