By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE high school basketball season in the Coalition of Private Schools began yesterday with Grace Christian Academy whipping Mariana Baptist Academy, 42-24, at the MBA court in Dandan.
Rima Halaby led the Lady Eagles triumph scoring 17 points, while Lia Rangamar and Cristine Hofschneider added 12 and 10 markers, respectively.
Natasha Good and Savana Manglona fired six markers apiece for the Lady Stormz.
Playing on their homecourt, the Lady Stormz had a good start taking a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 8-6.
Good, Manglona, Leia St. Claire and Jenny Sakamoto nailed one basket apiece in the first quarter, while only Rangamar and Halaby scored for the Lady Eagles.
Rangamar continued to anchor GCA’s offense in the second quarter and drew help from Kristina and Ashley Hofschneider, who combined for eight points in that canto, to put the Lady Eagles in the driver’s seat at halftime, 18-14.
Halaby, who was held to two points in the first half, played better in the second half scoring on long jumpers and layups.
She scored four points in the third period, while teammate Kristine and Rangamar added two markers apiece as the Lady Eagles entered the fourth quarter with a 26-18 lead.
Halaby picked up where she left off in the final canto scoring 11 points. Her triple in the last two minutes of the match gave the Lady Eagles their biggest lead at 38-20.
The Stormz, who played with only six players, were held to only six points in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, MBA was playing Northern Marianas Academy in the boys’ division yesterday, but the results of the Stormz-Stingrays match were unavailable at press time.
The battle for this year’s boys’ division crown will be an open race, as 2006 champion GCA is not fielding a team. NMA, MBA, Mt. Carmel and Saipan International School will be squaring off for the boys’ championship.
The Eagles won last year’s finals after beating Mt. Carmel.
The SIS Lady Geckos are the defending champions in the girls’ division. They defeated GCA last season.
Scores:
GCA 42—Halaby 17, Rangamar 12, K. Hofschneider 10, A. Hofschneider 4, Sablan 2, Blanco 1.
MBA 24—Good 6, Manglona 6, Sakamoto5, Pangelinan 2. St. Clair 2.
Quarterscores: 6-8, 18-14, 26-18, 42-24