By Kyle Terwilliger
Variety News Staff

THE DPR-Gatorade GovGuam Basketball League began its double elimination playoffs on Wednesday with four teams in action. The night began with the Guam Public School System taking on the Judiciary of Guam.
The game turned out to be a low scoring game but came down to the wire with the Judiciary defeating the Guam Public School System, 39-35. GPSS was led by the scoring of Rich Barcinas who night in and night out led the Guam Public School System during the regular season. Barcinas had 12 points but the Guam Public School System could not fend off the balanced scoring attack of the Judiciary of Guam.
The high scorer for the Judiciary was Ruben Payumo who only scored nine of his team’s 39 points as the Judiciary team held off the Guam Public School System to advance to the next round. With the loss, the Guam Public School System was eliminated from the playoffs.
In the second game of the evening the Guam Police matched up against the very tough Isa Aqua Defenders. Pete Sanchez led the Guam Police with 26 of his team’s 43 points but the Guam Police fell to the Defenders in the final minutes of the game.
The Defenders led by their leading scorer Jose Marquez with 15 points as the Defenders advanced past the Guam Police Department 44-43. The win puts the Defenders in the driver’s seat for the playoffs with either the Guam Police or the Judiciary teams having to beat the Defenders twice for the championship.
Friday will showcase the final game of the loser’s bracket as the Guam Police Department takes on the Judiciary of Guam. The loser of that game will be eliminated and the winner will advance on to face the Defenders for the championship on Monday. If the Defenders fall on Monday the final game will be next Friday.