La Salle’s Shevana Laput in the Shakey’s Super League National Invitationals finals Game 1. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Shevana Laput was crowned the Most Valuable Player in the Shakey’s Super League National Invitationals after leading La Salle to its second championship this year.
The 6-foot-2 opposite hitter made a breakthrough in the national tournament, consistently leading the Lady Spikers in scoring en route to the preseason title.
From a role player in the UAAP Season 85, Laput emerged as a top gunner in the absence of rookie MVP Angel Canino and libero Justine Jazareno as La Salle played its first tournament without graduates Jolina Dela Cruz and Mars Alba as well as Fifi Sharma, who turned pro with Akari in the Premier Volleyball League.
Laput led the way in Game 3 with 13 points including two blocks to beat Adamson, 25-19, 25-22, 25-17, and rule the tournament on Sunday at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
She averaged 20.3 points per game in the best-of-three finals series.
Laput’s career game of 30 points went for naught after La Salle’s five-set collapse in Game 1 but she took matters into her own hands in the do-or-die Game 2 with a team-high 18 points to sweep Adamson in straight sets and force a rubber match.
La Salle has four individual awardees in the league’s ‘Super Team’ as Laput also bagged the Best Opposite Spiker. Alleiah Malaluan earned the 2nd Best Outside Spiker and Thea Gagate won the 1st Best Middle Blocker, while Amie Provido got the 2nd Best Middle Blocker.
Adamson playmaker Angelica Alcantara was named Best Setter, emerging as the school’s top bet for the MVP award.
Bronze medalist University of Santo Tomas has two individual awardees with rookie Angeline Poyos copping the 1st Best Outside Spiker and team captain Detdet Pepito earning the Best Libero plum.