La Cañada pair splits boys’ basketball MVP
Consistency has been a hallmark of the La Cañada High boys’ basketball team for quite some time.
So, a fourth straight Rio Hondo League championship was accompanied with a fourth consecutive league most valuable player honor for the Spartans.
If there was a twist, though, it’s that La Cañada seniors Sean Estes and Justin Kouyoumdjian shared the award and were among six total players honored.
“We had a pretty good season considering we had to make the move up to [CIF Southern Section] Division I-A,” La Cañada High Coach Tom Hofman said. “I think we had some very deserving players in Sean and Justin.”
The Spartans made the big jump from Division IV-AA to I-A and posted a 25-5 record, which included a 10-0 run to a league crown and advancement to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs for a fourth straight season.
Both Estes and Kouyoumdjian succeed former teammate and All-Area Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year Koko Kurdoghlian, who had won the MVP the last three seasons.
The 6-foot-7 Estes was quite a force inside for the Spartans at forward, but was also a capable shooter from the outside.
“It’s an honor to win this award because of everyone that’s come before you,” Estes said. “It’s also a great honor to split this awards with Justin, who had a great year, too.”
Estes averaged 20 points and six rebounds per game for the Spartans and tallied 26 points, five rebounds and four blocks in the team’s 71-63 Division I-A quarterfinal defeat at Los Angeles Loyola on Feb. 21.
The sharp-shooting Kouyoumdjian was also a productive scorer and distributor for the Spartans, as the senior guard averaged 18 points, four assists and two steals per game.
“Sean and I have been playing together since eighth grade and we have this ridiculous bond and chemistry,” Kouyoumdjian said. “We both grew as players together and it’s awesome to win the award with him and it’s a feeling that’s so humbling.”
Hofman picked up one league first-team choice in junior Patric Panoosi. The forward figures to play an even larger role next season after averaging 13 points and a team-leading seven rebounds per game.
“He had some big games for us offensively, but he also was our team’s best rebounder,” Hofman said. “He was one of the most complete all-around players we had. With a little more hard work, he can be a really great player for us next year.”
La Cañada sophomore forward Ryan Graves averaged nine points and four rebounds per game and was named to the league’s second team.
La Cañada’s Brendan Co and Tyler Wagner, two stout defenders, were league honorable mentions.
“I think a lot of success this season has to do that we as a team connected so well,” Kouyoumdjian said. “We all loved playing with each other and came to practice ready to work each day. Yeah, it was a big jump to Division I, but we were able to play at that level because we played as a team.”
