STRICTLY Business bagged the U17 championship of the 3×3 Battle of the Norf after defeating K-Town 9-7 at the As Matuis basketball court on Sunday.
The Strictly Business players —Derrick Atalig, Leopoldo Naraja, Freddy Pelisamen Jr. Lucio Aldan and Frankie Satur — were raring to go and it was their team that drew first blood.
However, the K-Town squad — Tyrik Basa, Mark Castro, Jesstin Laniyo, Thrino They and Austin Christopher — fought back and made every possession count.
It was Naraja who orchestrated the offense for Strictly Business. His handles were tough to guard, and he passed through defenders with one quick step after another which created scoring opportunities for his teammates Aldan and Atalig.
After five minutes of play, their team was leading by two points.
But K-Town remained persistent as its players grabbed countless offensive and defensive rebounds to create second-chance buckets for They and Basa. Soon, the game was deadlocked, 5-5.
The game then came down to crunch time with the score tied 7-7.
Both teams gave it their all but in the midst of the battle for the loose ball, Strictly Business somehow found Atalig under the rim where he used brute strength to put up a shot, drawing the foul. Atalig then gave his team a two-point advantage, 9-7.
With time running out in the 15-minute championship game, K-Town failed to equalize, allowing Strictly Business to claim the 3v3 U17 title.
“We honestly feel great, and we played our hearts out,” Naraja said in an interview. “The competition was definitely hard, but in the end, it just showed who wanted it more. Our team communicated well, played efficiently and we just worked together as a team.”
He added, “Our strategy was to run pick & rolls, and if we had the advantage, we were going to take it. When we knew that someone was tired, we relaxed a bit and played at our own pace.”
Skills challenge
Jayart Palmes dominated the skills challenge with the fastest time while Brian Natividad took the 3-point contest title.
Tournament host Socho Basketball Club would like to thank its sponsors Marianas Health Services, INAS Kitchen, Candle J, Latte Built, Kensington Hotel Saipan, San Roque Market, August+Winscos Market, CNMI lawmakers, and the Rollers Basketball Club for the equipment and support.
Strictly Business team members pose after winning the U17 division championship of the 3v3 Battle of the Norf basketball tournament Sunday at the As Matuis basketball court.
Photo by James F. Sablan Jr.
Strictly Business’ Leopoldo Naraja attempts the floater over two K-Town defenders in the championship game of the 3v3 Battle of the Norf basketball tournament Sunday at the As Matuis basketball court.
Photo by James F. Sablan Jr.
