By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE Southern Sonics caught another big fish, while the Runnin’ Rebels cruised to their first win in the 2007 Budweiser Cup Men’s Island-wide Basketball League after prevailing over separate foes last Wednesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
The youthful Sonics, who were coming off an 89-74 upset win over the Bombers, added the Saipan Stevedore Suns on their list of victims after notching a 72-68 triumph in the first game.
Before last Wednesday, the Suns were undefeated in three games.
But, the Sonics, again, used their quickness to outrun and outgun the much taller and much more experienced Suns.
As in their game against the Bombers, the Sonics kept the Suns within striking distance in the first three quarters and pushed the right buttons in the crucial fourth quarter to escape with a four-point win.
Manuel Ajoste delivered the important baskets for the Sonics in the fourth period.
He was held to only three points in the entire first half, which ended in a deadlock, 31-all.
Ajoste began finding his marks in the second half scoring eight in the third period, which, again, ended in a standoff, 52-all.
Lerio Pagarao scored the first seven points for the Sonics in the fourth quarter, as he traded baskets with the Suns’ Steve Rasa and Edsel Mendoza.
When Pagarao went cold, Ajoste took over drilling seven of the Sonics’ last nine points. Ajoste sealed the win from the 15-foot line hitting five free throws in the closing seconds of the match.
Ajoste topscored for the Sonics with 19 points, while Pagarao chipped in 14.
Joyner led the Suns with 18 markers, but he was scoreless in the fourth and had only four points in the third. Ed Diaz, who averaged close to 20 points in their first three wins, was held to 10 markers.
In the second game, the Runnin’ Rebels broke into the win column after downing the MHS/G-Rollers1 , 83-74.
The Runnin’ Rebels dropped their first three matches and seemed headed for a fourth loss in a row with their sluggish game in the first half. But they stepped on the gas in the second half to end the skid and snap the G-Rollers 1’s two-game winning streak.
The G-Rollers 2 behind Pete Iguel and Don Teregeyo led by five at the end of the first quarter, 23-18, and kept the driver’s seat at halftime, 40-39.
Trackster Dexter Dillay then anchored the Runnin’ Rebels breakaway in the third quarter scoring nine markers in that period, which ended with his team up by 15 points, 68-53.
The G-Rollers 1 launched a comeback in the fourth canto cutting the lead to eight, 70-78, with less than three minutes left on the clock.
But that was the closest that they could get as they committed a couple of turnovers and got off forced shots hurting their chance to recover and steal the win.
Ivan De Vero drilled a 10-footer at the top of the key to put a stop on the G-Rollers 1’s rally, and the rest of the Runnin’ Rebels secured the win with their free throws. Luis Iguel, De Vero and Dillay had a pair apiece and Jolan Mendoza split his charities.
Bud Cup games on Sundays
Organizers of the league will be holding games on Sundays, instead on Saturdays starting next month.
The first game will start at 4 p.m. and will take place at the Ada Gym. The second match is set for 6 p.m.
Scores:
First Game
Sonics 72—M. Ajoste 19, L. Pagarao 14, Lim 13, Bahillo 10, M. Ajoste 3, Apelo 3, Eclevia 2, J. Pagarao 2.
Suns 68—Joyner 18, Mendoza 15, Rasa 12, Diaz 10, G. Palacios 7, John 3, Esdrelon 2.
Quarterscores: 16-19, 31-all, 52-all, 72-68
Second Game
Runnin’ Rebels 83—Iguel 14, Dillay 11, Mendoza 10, De Vero 9, Olaitiman 8, Peter 8, Omar 5, Sablan 2, Tumaquip 2, Dela Cruz 2.
G-Rollers 1 74—P. Iguel 16, D. Teregeyo 12, V. Teregeyo 12, Diaz 6, Camacho 5, S. Iguel 4, Matagolai 3, Reyes 2.
Quarterscores: 18-23, 39-40, 68-53, 83-74