With the quarterfinals of the Fil Oil Flying V summer tournament upon us, some players have emerged as the top performers thus far in the most competitive off-season tournament in the big city. As hot as the weather has been all over, these players have been even hotter on the hardwood floor of the Arena in San Juan. These are not necessarily the top players in the running for tournament MVP honors, although some of them are at the top of the statistical race. These are simply the players who have gotten quite a bit of attention with their in-game delivery. Some names might not be on the list although their teams have done well this summer. But that is more a testament to the overall excellence of their teams than an indictment against their individual brilliance.

Topping this list would be Paul Lee, the 6-foot off-guard who already has already put in his 30-point output as early as the third weekend of the tournament. Lee is the primary reason that the University of the East is even in contention for a quarterfinal berth. Take Lee off this roster and the Warriors would be hard-pressed to make .500, let alone a bid beyond the elimination stage.

Lee has shown it all: slashes to the rack, transition baskets off steals, pull up jumpers in the gut of the defense, step back treys with many hands in his face. Opposing defenses know what he is going to do, but they simply cannot stop him. He is now clearly the superstar of this team, especially with many long-time veterans now gone, and his game is speaking in volumes about how badly he wants to win.

In many lists, no way would Calvin Abueva ever come in second, and he only does so now because of the sheer brilliance of Lee in this tournament. Abueva is not even the superstar type. He has a mug only a mother would love. His swagger and cocky demeanor have earned him closer watching from game officials. He has developed a reputation for borderline dirty play (some would say he is an out and out cheap shot artist) and some of the most insufferable antics on the court.

Still, when all is said and done, we are left with a ferocious and relentless hoops warrior, and a man who has produced at least four double-double performances over the last six games. At perhaps 6-foot-2, he brings his freaky athletic abilities to the fore with his relentless work off both boards, and an inside game that relies as much on quick wit as it does quick steps. That he routinely does this against players easily two inches taller and 10 pounds heftier makes it all the more impressive.

He is playing on a roster that has not exactly scared anybody, and yet he has helped make them a competitive and hard-fighting unit. Joshua Webb, for better or worse, is now the leader and the star for the Lasalle Green Archers. He’s had a couple of 25-plus games already, including a statement victory over archrival Ateneo De Manila. He makes full use of the underrated athletic abilities he’s been given, running the floor, looking for the seams in the half court, sticking the occasional long shot.

His overall decision making still gives his coaches fits, and he is always just one on-court slight away from getting into a fracas and maybe earning a suspension. Make no mistake about it though: when it comes to his will to win, he will do anything and everything to get that precious W.

Somewhat under the radar is Ryan Roose Garcia of Far Eastern University. He is no stranger to the limelight, and yet it seems he has not quite gotten as much ink and column inches as one would think. The 5-foot-9 pointguard however has been making a lot of noise where it counts most: on the floor, leading his Tamaraws to a 5-1 record as of this writing.

Garcia consistently leads his team in scoring, and has been a strong distributor and table-setter for the FEU offense. He is equally at ease either being the first to bust out in transition or carving up opposing defenses with his chain-lightning dribble drive. If he could actually nail a three-pointer consistently he might become the best pointguard in the college game.

Speaking of making noise, Mike Silungan is wowing the Fil Oil Flying V tournament for the second straight summer. The 6-foot-3 swingman from Chicago is the primary reason the University of the Philippines even has “fighting” in Fighting Maroons. Silungan has been responsible for some 40% of the State U offense, and has even proven he can play some decoy, setting up teammates for drop passes along the baseline and at the corner-to-corner passing game.

A lot of people thought he would not be making this kind of an impact anymore. Last summer he kind of snuck up on everybody when he started churning out points in big bunches against so-called established stars and teams. This summer, surely they would have his number. It seems the only number they’ve gotten is a help line, and it has proven useless against the hot hands of the next great UAAP superstar.

Last summer, hardcore hoop fans were awed by Etame Joe, the elongated 6-foot-9 center who became a Jose Rizal Heavy Bomber. Then he injured his knee, couldn’t seem to heal properly, and those same fans groaned at the thought of having lost what should have been a sure superstar. Etame has returned this summer, and it seems he is steadily getting his game back.

While his scoring and rebounding numbers have not exactly been earthshaking, his defense seems to be just as good as before. He is averaging at least two blocks per game in less than 20 minutes of playing time. That means he’s averaging a block per quarter, pretty good considering he has not played basketball at this level for the better part of the last year. His offense is also returning, as proven by the spins, drop steps and fade-away jumpers he’s been taking more and more.