St. John’s Institute 10-and-under White team captured the Batang Growee 2012 basketball title by holding off University of St. La Salle Integrated School Team A, 60-55, during the championship game played at the Msgr. John Liu Activities Center.

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

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

SJI only scored eight points in the second quarter, but the Baby Stingers could do no better as they shot seven and remained behind, 24-14.

Lechoncito showcased his overall game in the third quarter as he dropped nine points, while teammate Ken Ong had 10 points for a 43-31 cushion going to the fourth 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 give them a four-point lead late in the game. Teammate Ace Baldevarona also added six points.

USLS-IS also picked up their defensive pressure to rattle SJI White whose leading scorer Pura fouled out in the fourth quarter with six points.

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 to seal the championship for SJI.

Ong finished with 11 points, Ernest Hilado contributed 5 points, Alexus Yao and Aceford Chua added 4 points each, 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 apiece, Baldevarona and Kamei scored 6 points each, Yuone Javelona shot 4, Cliff Año, Lorenzo Melocoton and Lorenzo Dadivas delivered 2 points each.

Lechoncito and Benedicto made it to the Mythical Five with Roy Oscar Jacinto of the second runner-up Kiddie Warriors, Edison Jumayao of the third runner-up Tay Tung High School and Antonio Arcenas from the Titans Ballclub.*NAB

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