Although the Falcons had yet another dismal finish in the UAAP season 71 basketball, Adamsonians have two reasons to cheer up and feel proud about.
Baby Falcon Mark Juruena, 16, was named Most Valuable Player and included among the Mythical Five in UAAP juniors’ basketball.
Angelica Ortega of the Lady Falcons was named the Rookie of the Year in UAAP women’s basketball.
Now in his senior year at the Basic Education Department of Adamson University, 6’5” tall Juruena, a General Santos City native, was discovered by former coach Dayong Mendoza in an athlete search dubbed “Camp & Play.” Thanks to his brand of play, the Baby Falcons landed in the Final Four this year. When asked what made him win the MVP title, he said, “Tiwala lang ako sa sarili ko at sa teammates and of course faith in God”. He considers discipline as one of the most important things that a player should have.
Ortega on the other hand is a fair-looking seventeen-year-old taking up Hospitality Management in AdU. Discipline also keyed her earning the rookie title. “We were disciplined well by our coach, and her full trust and encouragement had us players maximize what we have and aim for the difficult. Six times a week of practice was no joke,” Ortega enthusiastically recalled.
