SJI White Team capture Batang Growee crown

St. John’s Institute White team captured the Batang Growee 2012 10-and-Under Category Basketball Tournament title last week by holding off University of St. La Salle - Integrated School Team A, 60-55 at the Msgr. John Liu Activities Center.

Steven Pura and Most Valuable Player Andrei Lechoncito led the Baby Falcons with 16 and 14 points, respectively.

Pura scored 10 points in the opening quarter, as he singlehandedly outscored the Baby Stingers for a 16-7 lead.

SJI scored only 8 points in the 2nd quarter but the Baby Stingers could do no better with their 7 points output as they trailed at the break, 24-14.

Lechoncito showcased his overall game in the 3rd quarter, as he dropped 9 points and assisting teammate Ken Ong delivered 10 points for a 43-31 cushion going to the 4th quarter.

Gavin De La Cruz and Masaki Kamei combined for 13 points for USLS-IS.

Matthew Benedicto sizzled with 14 points in the payoff quarter, as he engineered the Baby Stingers rally and gave them a 4-point lead late in the game. Teammate Ace Baldevarona also added 6 points.

USLS-IS also picked up their defensive pressure to rattle SJI White. Adding to the demise of SJI was the fouling out of leading scorer Pura who scored 6 points in the quarter.

But costly turnovers by USLS-IS gave the momentum back to the Baby Falcons, as
Lechoncito, Ernest Hilado, Josh Luciano and Alexus Yao scored one after the other, thus sealing the championship for SJI.

Ong finished with 11 points, Ernest Hilado shot 5 points, Alexus Yao and Aceford Chua contributed 4 points apiece while Julio Pandan, Xavier Tan, Josh Luciano made 2 points each.

Benedicto paced USLS-IS with 19 points, De La Cruz and JJ Castro added 7 points each, Baldevarona and Kamei scored 6 points each, Yuone Javelona shot 4 points, Cliff Año, Lorenzo Melocoton and Lorenzo Dadivas delivered 2 points each.

Lechoncito and Benedicto made it to the Mythical 5. Other members are Roy Oscar Jacinto of the 2nd runner up Kiddie Warriors, Edison Jumayao of the 3rd runner up Tay Tung High School and Antonio Arcenas from the Titans Ballclub. (Stephen Tan)