By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

SAIPAN Southern High School is determined and ready to defend its title in the boys’ division of the MISA High School Basketball League to prove that the Manta Rays’ championship win last year was no fluke.
“The boys have been working hard for the past months to defend the championship and prove that they deserved the title they won last year,” said coach Joel Punzalan.
Southern beat Mt. Carmel School in the finals last year, 85-77, dethroning the Knights and regaining the crown the Manta Rays won in 2004.
Despite Southern’s title victory, there are some people who still criticize the team and believe the Manta Rays were lucky to win the title.
“But the boys took the criticism positively. The moment we started practicing, they showed focus and discipline, which are important factors in our goal to defend the title,” Punzalan said.
Punzalan said that his boys report to practice every day after school, doing drills and listening to his pointers. They practice for more than two hours everyday since October.
“They are very disciplined and have been showing a lot of dedication during practice,” Punzalan said.
Disciplining the players started as early as Punzalan held tryouts in the early part of October.
“There were players who were part of last year’s team who did not make it this year because of attitude problems.” Punzalan said.
“I emphasized to my players that they have to earn their place on the team. They should not think that just because they are good, they don’t need to join the tryouts and attend practice,” he said.
After he selected the 12 players, Punzalan told them that they still needed to earn their starting positions.
“There’s no favoritism here. Even Preston (Basa) is not sure of a spot in the starting five,” Punzalan said.
Basa was Southern’s main gunner last year and his long jumpers in overtime helped the Manta Rays beat the Knights in the finals.
“But what I am most proud in of these players is their performance in school. Our team has an average grade of 3.2. We have a couple of straight A students,” Punzalan said.
Only students with a 2.25 average are allowed to play in the league.
“I emphasized to my players that they are student first before anything else. If they fail in their classes, they are off the team,” the Manta Rays coach added.
“We want to raise not only the level of competition in high school basketball here, but also the academic performance of the student-athletes” Punzalan said.
The Manta Rays’ readiness will be tested early in the tournament, as they face the Knights in the opening of the league this Friday.
The Knights and the Manta Rays collide at 7 p.m. after the 5:30 p.m. match of the Lady Rays and the Lady Knights.
Punzalan is confident that they have a strong chance against Mt. Carmel as they have several returnees on the team.
Aside from Basa, Bill Babauta, Ernest Duenas and Mike Eclevia are still on the squad.