THE younger generation of basketball players have dominated not only the U18 boys division, but the men’s open division as well, with the Bench Buddies beating Yolo in a two-game finale of the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation’s Three vs Three Hoop Fest Tournament on Saturday at the TSL Sports Complex.
The Bench Buddies, consisting of Leo Naraja, Elijah Garcia, Ervin Villarin, and Kyu Aldan, showcased their shooting abilities as they blew through the preliminaries undefeated.
However, it seemed like they had met their match when they took on Yolo in the finals.
In game 1, Yolo took advantage of their size with Shane Deleon Guerrero powering the team with efficiency. Right from the start, he found his range from beyond the arc with two made triples along with a pair of finishes at the rim to give his team the lead.
The Bench Buddies answered with back-to-back three-pointers led by Naraja, but Deleon Guerrero could not be stopped as he scored seven straight points to beat the Bench Buddies, 21-12, and force a deciding final game.
The Bench Buddies, however, were ready for redemption in the do-or-die game.
Yolo continued to ride the momentum with Deleon Guerrero at the helm, converting consecutive buckets to seize the lead. However, the Bench Buddies retaliated with range as Garcia connected three straight triples while Naraja followed up with a few highlights of his own to seize the lead, 20-17.
Yolo tried to even the score with three-point shots but failed to deliver while Naraja showcased his skills with a step-back mid-range jumper to knock down the game-winning shot and clinch victory for his team, 21-17.
The Bench Buddies took home the gold medals along with a beach chair for each player while Yolo received two cases of Michelob Ultra.
The Bench Buddies pose with their first place medals and prizes. Also in photo are NMI Basketball Federation Vice President Dave Apatang and board member Mike Mercado.
Bench Buddies’ Ervin Villarin takes the contested jump shot in the finals of the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation’s Three vs Three Hoop Fest Tournament at the TSL Sports Complex on Saturday.
Bench Buddies’ Leo Naraja beats Yolo’s James Lee for the drive during the finals of the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation’s Three vs Three Hoop Fest Tournament at the TSL Sports Complex on Saturday.
