Santos, Blake lead individual awardees

Young guns Coby Santos and Dean Blake of Latte Built-Mix Breed outshone the seasoned veterans on island after getting the two individual awards in the Marianas International Basketball League 3×3 Tournament.

Santos was named The Game MVP in the men’s division, while Blake took the IT&E Best Defensive Player trophy. The duo, who represented the CNMI in FIBA Asia 3×3 tournament last year, powered Latte Built-Mix Breed to a 21-11 finals win over JPdoubleD, which was bannered by former national team players Dan Barcinas, Jack Lizama, and Douglas Schmidt and Jeff Deleon Guerrero.

In the women’s division, the pair of individual awards also went to the champion team—Bomb Digz. Eleina Santos got the MVP plum, while the returning Lia Rangamar, who missed suiting up for the CNMI national team in last year’s Micronesian Games in Yap due to injury, bagged the Best Defensive Player award.

Santos, who also teamed up with Connie Camacho and Jan Travilla, was the consistent top scorer for Bomb Digz, giving their squad an unbeaten record in five games. She tallied 6 markers in Bomb Digz 16-11 title victory over CTSI.

Paulynn Joyce scored 4 points in their 13-10 triumph in the finals against Tinian and made it to the board in Chagi’s four other games to earn the MVP award in the girls U18 division. Tinian’s Emiliana King claimed the other individual trophy—Best Defensive Player—in the competition.

Tinian got one more individual award with the Typhoon’s Jared King notching the MVP plum in the boys U15 division. King helped Tinian Typhoon sweep the four games in the elimination round. He also brought Tinian to the finals after they beat Balas Ballers in the playoffs, 16-10.

Greg Deleon Guerrero and his teammates at Roll Aces foiled Tinian’s perfect run in the tournament after pulling off an upset in the finals, 18-11. Besides getting the championship trophy, Deleon Guerrero also went home with the Best Defensive Player award.

Meanwhile, organizers of the inaugural event thanked all those involved in the successful staging of the competition.

“MIBL would like to first thank the following sponsors for making this event possible: Hot Deals, Mystique Snacks and BBQ, IT&E, Marianas Variety, Latte Built, The Undeniable; and Fiesta Resort. We would also like to acknowledge Cultura Athletics and The Game Athletics and all of the volunteers, the parks and grounds team for helping with the venue, and some dignitaries who humbly requested not be named for helping with the tents, tables, lights and the likes. We would also like to thank Typhoon Sports for doing an awesome job in bringing their teams over. Lastly, thanks to all the teams, players, supporters, and fans for making the MIBL 3×3 a success,” said Clint Albert, who shared the league’s commissioner duties with Mariana Islands Basketball Federation’s Elias Rangamar.