By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE BANMI SAIPANCELL 2007 25-and-under League kicked off last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym with the Cyclones and the Southern Sonics pulling off contrasting wins.
The Cyclones withstood High-Five’s fourth-quarter rally to nail a 69-53 victory, while the Sonics downed 670, 83-64.
The Cyclones behind Joshua Sablan’s 3-point shooting controlled the game early and led by as much as 13 points. But Hi-Five bounced back in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 53-all, before it was held scoreless in the last four minutes of the match to hand the win to the Cyclones.
Both team struggled in the first quarter, which ended with the Cylones leading by seven, 13-6.
The lead increased to 13 at halftime, 34-21, with Sablan hitting three triples.
Kevin Cequena scored nine of Hi-Five’s 17 points in the third to move his team within eight, 38-46 entering the fourth period.
Sablan started the final canto with a triple, but it did not prevent Hi-Five from continuing its uphill climb.
Hi-Five had a 13-4 run after Sablan’s triple to tie the game, 53-all, with 4:10 left on the clock.
But that was the closest that Hi-Five could get, as the Cyclones answered with a 16-0 run to secure the win.
Sablan topscored for the Cyclones with 18 points.
In the first game, the Sonics spent the night catching up with 670, which was limited to nine points in the fourth quarter and collapsed.
With hotshot Preston Basa hitting his marks, 670 led in the first three quarters. It took a seven-point margin at the end of the first canto, 21-14 with Basa drilling nine markers.
670 kept the driver’s seat at halftime, 35-28, and hung on to a four-point lead at the end of the third period, 53-49.
The Sonics almost doubled their entire production in the first three quarters scoring 34 points in the crucial fourth period.
The Sonics fourth-quarter comeback was a team effort, as the players coach Jesse Tudela fielded in the game found ways to score.
Manuel Ajosted drilled six of his 10 points in the fourth period, Jason Bahillo had five markers, and Audrey Delos Santos and Mike Eclevia, James Kintz, Brian Flores and Jon Lim nailed four apiece.
Preston Basa hit 670’s first basket in the fourth period connecting on a triple, but he made only one free throw after that. No 670 player scored more than one fieldgoal in the final canto.
Flores paced the Sonics with 16 points.
Scores:
First Game
Sonics 83—Flores 16, Ajoste 10, Eclevia 8, Delos Santos 8, Bahillo 7, Pagarao 4, Kintz 4, Mendiola 4.
670 64—Basa 22, Camacho 11, Z. Diaz 8, Santos 5, D. Diaz 5, F. Blas 4, Ulloa 3.
Quarterscores: 14-21, 28-35, 49-53, 83-64
Second Game
Cyclones 69—Jos Sablan 18, G. Palacios 8, Cebceca 8, Joh. Sablan 6, T. Palacios 5, N. Sablan 5, A. Palacios 4, Yangilaw 4, R. Palacios 3, Maratita 2, Villacrusis 1.
Hi-Five 53—Cequena 18, Ajoste 11, Dela Cruz 7, Pagarao 7, Mendez 2, Domini 2, Esman 2.
Quarterscores: 13-6, 34-21, 46-38, 69-53