Cebu stalwart leads PCCL awardees

MANILA, Philippines - University of Cebu stalwart June Mar Fajardo led the individual and team award recipients of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) when the league held its “A Toast” affair Friday at the ABS-CBN compound.

The 6-foot-10 Fajardo was named National Collegiate Player of the Year, an honor won last year by top 2010 PBA draft pick Noy Baclao. The league’s chairman, Reynaldo Gamboa and tournament director, Joe Lipa, were present to announce and hand out the trophies, plaques, and other prizes to the winners.

The top four teams of the PCCL Sweet 16, for their part, received cash prizes – Ateneo P500,000 for the school and P400,000 for team members, Adamson U P200,000 each for the school and the team members, La Salle P100,000 each, and University of Cebu P50,000 each.

Aside from the cash prize, the Falcons also won “Great Leap Forward Award” for coming up just a game short of winning the 2010 title – after the team failed to even reach the Sweet 16 the last two years. The Archers, on the other hand, won the “Comeback Award” for making the Sweet 16 this season after missing out last time.

Other team awards were given to Lyceum of the Philippines (Grinder Award), NU (Fortitude Award) and University of Iloilo (Breakthrough Performance Award). The “Motivator of the Year Award” was awarded to Baldomero Estenzo for his motivation of the Webmasters.

Meanwhile, the PCCL’s individual awardees, sponsored by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny Pangilinan, were the Eagles’ Nico Salva (Most Valuable Player), who is joined in the Mythical team by teammate Kirk Long, the Falcons’ Lester Alvarez and Alex Nuyles, and Fajardo. Ateneo mentor Norman Black was named best coach, while Meynard Bellecer was awarded as best referee.

Since its inception in 2003, the Champions League has drawn the participation of the country’s top collegiate teams.