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De Dios is MVP, Rhei is king of three
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Posted on May 31 2006
Center Marlon De Dios was the undeniable King of the Paint in the recent Filipino Community Church Inaugural Inter-Color Basketball League, and because of his efforts both offensively and defensively, the Ezekiel cager was voted as most valuable player during an awards ceremony Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
That same night, De Dios showcased his dominance in the paint and scored 22 of his team-high 24 points in the first half to lead Ezekiel to the championship at the expense of Jeremiah, 69-66.
His presence on the court made the biggest difference as not only was he a consistent scorer for Ezekiel, he also served a the team’s top rebounder, while also giving opposing players a tough time scoring in the inside.
De Dios led Ezekiel in the semifinals against Isaiah, scoring 21 points to lift his team to an 83-71 victory.
Even before the playoffs, De Dios was a force to be reckoned with as his performance was a big reason his team claimed the pennant crown and earned the top seed in the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 5-2 win-loss record.
The team was tied with Nehemiah and Daniel, but earned the No. 1 spot due to the point system.
Another cager taking home a shiny trophy was John Rhei of Joshua, who came up victorious in the 3-point shootout prior to the championship bout.
Rhei’s journey to becoming the 3-point king was not easy, as he had to work past six other competitors. Joining Rhei in the competition were Aries Cordero of Daniel, Manuel Ajoste of Jeremiah, Victor Formales of Ezekiel, Joel Buniag of Gideon, Johnny Badiles of Nehemiah, and Perry Jay Danipog of Isaiah.
Rhei, Ajoste, Cordero, Formales, and Buniag advanced past the first round, and in the finals, Rhei was able to connect on four shots to win the title.
Also earning special recognition were all cagers in the Nehemiah lineup as the team received the Sportsmanship Award.
According to league official Rev. Noel Puno, despite the team’s hardships on the court, they were able to pull together, play with class, and showcase true sportsmanship that serves as a positive role model for all in attendance.
