TINIAN Jr./Sr. High School won the boys high school division championship of the IT&E Interscholastic Basketball League after pulling a late-game comeback against Saipan Southern High School 32-31 Saturday at the Marianas High School gym.
The SSHS Manta Rays seemed to be the favored team to win the coveted title as they entered the championship round as the top seed with a 4-0 record.
In their game against the Tinian Stallions, they established control early in the first half.
SSHS drew first blood in the tip-off and found Emmanuel Feria at the break for the finish. A few possessions later, SSHS extended their range with three consecutive three-pointers, two of them contributed by Theron Factor, while the other came from Rasg Asauo, to establish a six-point lead.
Tinian had a slow start but their relentless efforts were gradually rewarded. Their main strategy was to create an opening for their main scorer, Sir Dela Cruz, using screens for the uncontested shot. Slowly but surely, Dela Cruz found his rhythm with back-to-back buckets for a total of 15 points to cut the deficit by halftime, 17-22.
In the second half, SSHS tried to maintain control with teamwork. Unfortunately, their execution failed as they struggled to find the bottom of the net with only Factor and John Raquepo adding two points apiece.
Tinian, on the other hand, stuck by their initial strategy which continued to work in their favor. Their ability to set effective screens handed Dela Cruz the opportunity to punish SSHS from afar as he connected two consecutive triples. Even when SSHS focused their defense on Dela Cruz, he was able to rely on his teammates to step up with Manilao Palacios draining two crucial makes.
During the final few minutes of the game, SSHS seemed to have the win in the palm of their hands as Eli Garcia sank a much-needed three-point shot while Feria added another point from the free-throw line to give the Manta Rays the lead, 31-29.
However, Tinian’s Dela Cruz was able to silence the crowd with a quick answer on the other end with his third triple to snatch the lead 32-31.
With only seconds left, SSHS had one more chance to seal the deal with an inbound play. After recovering possession from the initial pass, the team found Factor behind the three-point line. He took the shot, but despite the good look, the ball was a bit short and bounced from the front of the rim and rolled back out, missing the would-be game-winner as Tinian slipped away with the victory, 32-31, and the championship.
The last time Tinian won the championship was back in 2020 when they outlasted Mount Carmel School, 38-36.
Saipan Southern High School’s Emmanuel Feria backs down a defender in the post during Saturday’s championship game in the boys high school division of the IT&E Interscholastic Basketball League at the MHS gym.
Tinian’s Sir Dela Cruz protects the ball as a Saipan Southern High School defender closes in during Saturday’s championship game in the boys high school division of the IT&E Interscholastic Basketball League at the MHS gym.
