Despite falling short in the Cesafi high school basketball competition this season, University of the Visayas’ (UV) do-it-all forward Joshua Yerro still has something to be proud of.
The 6-foot-2 scoring machine was named as the top player of the south after finishing at the top spot in the final rankings of the Chooks to Go/NBTC Cesafi 24.
The merit was consolation for the pride of Ormoc, whose Baby Lancers were upset by the University of Cebu (UC) in the recently concluded finals of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) juniors basketball tournament.
Yerro had an awesome season, averaging 18 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and three steals but just couldn’t carry his team in the finals against a peaking UC squad.
Nevertheless, the NBTC recognition was enough to lift Yerro’s spirit. “I’m really happy that despite all the unfortunate things that happened, like being suspended, I was still able to become the top player of the NBTC,” Yerro said. “I know my mom is happy for me.”
Yerro got suspended after incurring a flagrant foul and a technical foul in a game against Ateneo in the elimination round.
A week after that game, his mom succumbed to cancer.
Two more UV standouts came after Yerro as shifty guard Gabriel Cometa claimed the second spot while the Cesafi slam dunk champion Popoy Actub finished third.
The University of Cebu’s Jerick Jan Ranido, who was named the Finals MVP, placed fourth while Kendrick Abarquez of the University of San Jose-Recoletos rounded out the top five.
There will be three separate editions of the NBTC 24 – one for the NCAA, one for the UAAP, and one for the Cesafi – to accommodate the Juniors calendar for the whole year.
After all three editions have been completed, the final 24 will be chosen to participate in the annual NBTC All-Star Game in March.