LSGH dribblers clinch 9 Growee-MYBall awards

MANILA, Philippines — La Salle Green Hills highlighted its championship double with nine individual honors in the recent Growee-MYBall Metro Invitational.

Big man Benedict Cruz captured the season Most Valuable award and Luccio del Rosario clinched the Finals MVP in the Greenies’ dominant title run in the Contender division (12-14 age group).

Greenies guard Julian Jugo also shone as he copped the highest individual plum in the Mini division (9-11 age group) while teammate Nico Saubier clinched the Finals MVP.

La Salle completed a two-division sweep for the second straight season after overpowering rival Ateneo Blue Eaglets in the winner-take-all finals of both the Contender and Mini divisions.

Cruz also earned a spot in the Contender Mythical Team together with fellow Greenies Joshua Marcos and Joshua Boo, Ateneo’s Rebi Andres and National University’s Rhyyan Amsali.

In the Mini Mythical Team, Jugo was joined by teammates Dominic Panlilio and Matthew Concepcion, Ateneo’s Elijah Nadal and Rookie of the Year Jethro Escoth of Marist.

Another Greenie Mai-Mai Cagulangan won the top rookie honor in the Contender, while Ateneo swept the Coach of the Year citations.

Ateneo’s Reggie Varila (Contender) and Monroe Cueson (Mini) steered the Blue Eaglets to a pair of upset wins over the erstwhile unbeaten Greenies in the finals opener of both divisions.

But the LSGH squads, both toting a twice-to-beat advantage, bounced back with a 75-59 rout of the Blue Eaglets in the Contender finals and also showed more poise in the Mini title match with a 59-54 win.