THEN AND NOW: The 1986 UP Championship team #2
ABS-CBN News,02/24/2016 01:43 PM
Benjie Paras competes in the Nike Rise Legacy Night in this August 2015 file photo. Photo by Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CB News
Benjie Paras
Benjie Paras was credited with 19 points in the title game against University of the East (UE), and according to the Manila Bulletin, he "outplayed UE counterpart Jerry Codinera," who also had 19 points in the contest.
When the game was over, Tacujan wrote that Paras "teetered on the steel railing and exhorted (the UP fans) into a prolonged cheer… (the UP supporters) looked as if they could live on forever."
Paras would go on to have a tremendous basketball career. He remains the only PBA player to win both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same season, achieving the feat in 1989. He went on to have a career in showbiz as well.
"Sa aming lahat, siya talaga ang may star quality," Ronnie Magsanoc said of Paras. "Every time Benjie goes anywhere, he wins."
"I'm proud of him. Napapanood ko siya, and tuwang-tuwa ako nan aka-transition siya from one career to the other."