The MHS Dolphins tallied 65 points at their home court while Mount Carmel School scored 58.
Marianas High’s John Darag – who missed his usual 3s – top scored with 16 points while teammates Brandon Aulerio and Ezra Caro tallied 15 and 12, respectively. The Dolphins pulled away 17-8 in the first quarter, landing offensive rebounds from Caro.
The Knights crushed Grace Christian Academy last week but failed to connect another victory. MCS captain Kevin Bautista got away with three points – a jumper and free throw – before being pummeled by MHS’ Ro Sarmiento in the offense. Mount Carmel’s Min Seong Kim garnered 15 points, Geza Baka scored 14, and Reynald Cabaltica piled 13.
Everything seemed to go the Dolphins’ way at first. Kevin Barbo, who suffered minor ankle sprains earlier in the season, was back in action for MHS.
He slammed two layups and finished with a free throw in the first half to score five points. The Dolphins frequently changed players to throw the Knights off. They slowed down in the third quarter, losing the ball to accidental slips and missed passes.
From a 21-point deficit, the Knights rallied 13 points to catch up 60-52 seven minutes into the fourth quarter.
Darag made 12 of his 16 points in the second half, widening the gap between both teams. Leading 65-58, the Dolphins had only 30 seconds to burn before bagging their fifth varsity win.
Kagman High School faced GCA in a second game, but results weren’t available at press time.
Scores:
Marianas High School 65 – J. Darag 16, B. Aulerio 15, E. Caro 12, N. Ambalan 6, K. Barbo 5, R. Mendiola 4, N. Feria 4, L. Cristobal 2, R. Sarmiento 1
Mount Carmel School 58 – M. Kim 15, G. Baka 14, R. Cabaltica 13, J. Yoon 5, J. Griffin 4, K. Bautista 3, A. Gagaring 2, J. Saludez 2
Quarterscores: 17-8, 32-18, 50-35, 65-58
