By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

DEFENDING champion Grace Christian Academy and Saipan Community School advanced to the semifinals of the Coalition of Private Schools boys’ middle school basketball tournament after beating separate foes yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
SCS grabbed the second semis seat after defeating Saipan International School, 42-29, while the GCA Eagles nailed the third semis ticket after pulling off a 42-38 triumph over Whispering Palms.
Mt. Carmel after topping the regular season notched the first semis berth. Marianas Baptist Academy and the Seventh Day Adventists were battling for the fourth and last semis spot yesterday, but the results of the match were unavailable at press time.
Saipan Community may have won by 13 points, but its playoff match against the SIS Geckos was a close game in the first three quarters until the opening minutes of the fourth period.
The third quarter ended with SCS up by only four, 26-22.
But the Susupe-based school scored 16 markers in the fourth quarter and limited the Geckos to seven points in the final period to move into the next round.
Christian Hidalgo paced SCS with 14 points.
Fred Lee topscored for SIS with 22 points.
In the other quarterfinal match, Romulo Sarmiento nailed 16 points to power the Eagles to a four-point win.
Sarmiento drilled nine of his total points in the first quarter, which saw Whispering Palms scoring only three points.
With Sarmiento hitting his marks early, GCA took a 13-3 lead, entering the second quarter.
Kai Stall picked up the scoring for Whispering Palms firing six points in the second quarter, but it was not enough to put his team in the lead, as the first half ended with the Eagles up by 11, 21-10.
Whispering Palms played better in the second half scoring 14 points each in the third and fourth periods. But the Eagles’ 11-point lead in the first half was enough to secure them a spot in the next round.
The semifinals will be played today with Saipan Community battling the MCS Knights.
The GCA Eagles will be paired with the winner of the MBA-SDA playoff.
The championship match is set for Friday along with the title game in the girls’ division.
The GCA Lady Eagles are in the finals and will meet the winner of the SIS-SCS playoff.
Scores:
SCS 42—Hidalgo 14, Quan 10, Kim 6, Guerrero 4, Tumbaga 2, Williams 2.
SIS 29—Lee 22, Kim 9.
GCA 42—Sarmiento 16, Mamaril 4, Vertudez 4, Oretola 3, Dimaano 3, Sablan 2, Kim 2, Salas 2.
Whispering Palms 38—L. Knecht 15, Staal 14, Thorpe 3, Brostrom 2, Motto 2, R. Knecht 2.