The Rollers Basketball Club, the only Saipan-based group in the seasonal event, topped the 14-and-under coed and 16-18 coed divisions on Sunday.
“The kids did great. A lot of the teams in Guam were pretty strong and they had chemistry on the court. I just told the kids to work together,” Rollers head coach Joe Diaz told Variety.
The 14U Rollers survived three games before reaching the finals. In the end, they crushed the Tamuning Typhoons, 41-10 with Christian Morales clinching the MVP title. Jun Fidelino was the division’s scorer with 27 points. He averaged nine points per game.
In the 16-18 coed finals, Keolani Rios led the Rollers to a 33-21 victory over the MTM Falcons. Rios, the Rollers’ sole female player, scored the most points and earned the MVP title. She averaged 8.33 points per game with a 25 total.
“Keolani was one of the 16-18 coed’s best players. When we were down about nine points (in the finals), I sent her out and she helped us beat the Falcons,” said Diaz.
Joining Rios in the 16-18 division were Dixon Kwon, Shan Acopiado, Ed Cudia, YJ Nakayama, Daryl Suarez, Jeron Ano, Lester Vertudez, and Ken Oreola.
The 14U-B Rollers included: Fidelino, JC Cadua, Quinn Amog, Mico Batung, CJ Morales, and Kyle Rios.
The Rollers settled for first runner-up in the 12U coed division’s finals after losing to the Inarajan Hawks, 29-22. They also joined the 14U-A and 25U divisions but fell in the playoffs.
RBC member and Guam resident Manny Matagolai top scored in the 25U category at 49 points and averaged 24.5 per game.
This is the Rollers’ second time to join the TakeCare-sponsored event since last year and their fifth year to join a Guam-hosted tournament.
A total of 59 teams competed this weekend.
Diaz thanks the RBC’s following sponsors: McDonald’s, Division of Youth Services, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, IT&E, EFC Engineering, Docomo Pacific, Arlene’s Dress Shop, and Bridge Capital.
