For much of UAAP Season 89, Reinhard Jumamoy’s offense stunk. 

Ten games in, Jumamoy was shooting an atrocious 33.1 percent from the field despite leading the NU Bulldogs in scoring (11.9 points per game). He’s been nonetheless productive as his playmaking (team-high 4.9 assists per game against just 1.9 turnovers) has kept the Bulldogs in a good position to not just earn a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four, but also to enter the knockout rounds as the top seed. 

NU faced one of its toughest tests in the second round against the DLSU Green Archers, who apart from the Ateneo Blue Eagles were the only ones to hand the Bulldogs a loss in Season 89. It certainly seemed to be the case in the fourth quarter, when the Green Archers took an 80-79 lead with 2:04 left in the game and had the momentum to boot. But Jumamoy settled things down and did what he has done consistently this season efficiency be damned: make the right play. 

The victory, of course, began prior to that as Jumamoy played one of his best games this season against LaSalle. His shot was falling and thus was a welcome development for NU, but more importantly, he was finding ways to break down DLSU’s zone to set up that crucial Paul Francisco 3-pointer while also serving as a pest on the defensive end. 

A performance like the one Jumamoy pulled off against the Green Archers can cement an MVP campaign, especially when the considerations for the award largely revolve around individual statistics and wins. Moreover, there’s no clear-cut frontrunner in Season 89 in the same way that it’s a tight race for the Final Four, but the Cebuano has slowly but surely created some separation. In fact, Jumamoy is also no stranger to an award of that nature, as he was the first player from the Bulldogs’ junior program to be named the MVP for that division. 

While the winless-no-more UE Red Warriors loom large for NU next Saturday, it’s the matchups against the FEU Tamaraws and the UP Fighting Maroons that will determine the Bulldogs true fate and could very well put the finishing touches on Jumamoy’s MVP run. He will figure heavily into their defensive plans, especially if NU’s opponents want to limit the passing that has broken down defenses and produced clutch shots. 

And it would be the right place to start, because Reinhard Jumamoy is the engine to what the NU Bulldogs have run in UAAP Season 89. The numbers tell part of the story, but beyond the tangibles, he’s the leader who the Bulldogs have relied on when the going gets tough. And if the last game against the DLSU Green Archers was any indication, he might very well lead them to the elusive promised land.