By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE Dolphins of Marianas High School won over Saipan Southern High School only once this season, but it mattered the most as their 99-78 triumph against the Manta Rays last Friday at the MHS Gym gave the home team the boys’ championship in the MISA High School Basketball League.
The Dolphins bowed to the Rays in the regular season twice, but saved the best for last posting an emphatic 21-point victory in the winner-take-all finals.
“I give credit to MHS, they played a perfect game,” said Southern coach Joel Punzalan, whose team was threatened by the Dolphins in their first two outings, but was able to survive the danger.
But the Rays were not up to the bigger peril last Friday and failed to withstand the challenge.
With the Rays’ veteran guard Mike Eclevia on the bench, MHS playmaker Joemar Tumaquip took over scoring 10 points in the first quarter.
Eclevia, who missed the Rays’ semis win against Mt. Carmel, played in the third quarter, but failed to bring direction to the Rays’ game.
Ivan De Vero teamed up with Tumaquip on offense in the first period and added seven points to give the Dolphins a 25-19 lead after 10 minutes of play.
MHS hung on to the lead at halftime, 48-38, as De Vero continued to anchor the Dolphins’ offense and he drew help from Jericho Cruz. De Vero added seven markers in the second period, while Cruz nailed eight drilling a couple of followup shots.
As both teams came out of the locker room to play in the second half, a lot of people were expecting that Southern would make a comeback and still win the game.
But the home team disappointed them, as the Dolphins came out with more fire in their eyes, picking up where they left off in the second half.
Tumaquip again asserted his might using his speed to drive to the basket and get fouls. He had two 3-point plays and completed one. He scored seven points in the third period.
With Tumaquip drawing the Southern defense, Tarkong, Cruz and De Vero had time to position themselves for good looks at the basket. The trio had six points apiece in the third quarter, which ended to the dismay of Rays fans with the Dolphins up by 19, 73-54.
Southern’s hotshot Preston Basa, who had 10 markers in the first half, was held to three points. He drilled his first 3-pointer in the game in the last minute of the third period.
His partner Bill Babauta, who had eight points in the first half, was hobbled by foul trouble and spent most of the third quarter sitting on the bench. He fouled out in the early part of the fourth quarter.
With Basa pressured by the MHS defense and Babauta in foul trouble, Punzalan was forced to dig deeper on his bench. But he got little response, as only Ernest Duenas and Tony Rogolifoi, Jr. were willing to take the challenge.
The Dolphins posted their biggest lead at 25, 88-63, after an incomplete 3-point play from Tarkong, with 5:25 left on the clock.
The Rays, who once bounced back from a 12-point deficit against the Dolphins in the last four minutes of their second outing and won, needed a miracle to recover and there was none.
“It feels great to win the championship. Southern is a tough team and we’re just happy to beat them and win the title,” said Nick Gross, who coaches the Dolphins with Mark McDonald.
In the battle for third, Kagman High School beat Mt. Carmel, 88-85.
Scores:
Third Place:
KHS 88—Matagolai 20, J. Moses 15, Teregyo 15, Chariton 13, Ada 6, Dela Rosa 4, A.. Moses 4, Santos 2.
MCS 85—S. Kim 21, Barcinas 14, White 10, Sablan 10, Ri. Salas 8, T. Kim 6, J. Delos Santos 5, Ro. Salas 4, Aldan 2.
Quarterscores: 16-27, 42-54, 70-64, 88-85
Championship:
MHS 99—Tumaquip 23, De Vero 22, Tarlong 18, Crus 16, Philip 8, Aldan 7, Taitano 4, Brant 1.
SSHS 78—Basa 19, Duenas 14, Rogolifoi 10, Babauta 8, Tilipao 6, Taitano 5, Eclevia 3, Echon 2, Diaz 2, Beltau 2.
Quarterscores: 25-16, 48-38, 73-54, 99-78