Led by Lushawn Reyes with 8 points, the Saints were very confident about the outcome of the match when they scored 9 points ahead of their opponents at the end of the first buzzer.
The IT&Es began to turn the tables around during the second quarter, when Robledo Talania slipped through the Saints’ defense and fired four two-pointers.
IT&E finally made their come back by the third quarter when Bruce Berline, Elmer Esdrelon, and Kirk Schuller piled six points’ worth of free throws after being fouled by Saints’ players.
The Saints focused on their defense for the rest of the game, only making 11 points by the end of the third quarter. The IT&Es took advantage of their momentum, with Melvin Capalad shooting eight points for the fourth quarter, supported by several more baskets from Talania, Esdrelon, and Schuller.
Nationals 96, Sixsevenohs 79
Two of the Budweiser Basketball League’s powerhouses challenged last Monday at Gilbert C. Ada Gym, where the Bud Light CNMI Nationals won against the Beck’s Sixsevenohs, 96-79.
Winning their past couple matches, the Nationals put an end to the Sixsevenohs’ winning streak, as they dominated them in all four quarters.
Sixsevenoh’s Anthony and Edward Diaz pushed to catch up to the Nationals, where both players scored a combined total of 51 points. They began to pick up some speed in the second quarter, but were stopped in their tracks by the Nationals.
The Sixsevenohs out-sized their opponents, giving them advantage on the defense, including several rebounds.
However, none outmatched the agile movements of Nationals’ leading scorer Danandro Barcinas and Tim Quan, who were able to snatch the ball from the Sixsevenohs. Barcinas shot for a total of 26 points while Tim Quan earned 19.
The game involved more physical contact than usual between the teams, where players including Jack Lizama were knocked hard to the ground for a few seconds, giving concern to his fellow players. Fortunately, no players were badly injured, and the match was set to continue.
Scores:
Bud Light CNMI Nationals 96 – D. Barcinas 26, J. Tumaquip 14, P. Iguel 8, J. Lizama 9, R. Naraja 10, T. Quan 19, K. Chariton 1, P. Mendiola 1, C. Johnson 5, J. Lee 1, J. Villacrusis 2
Beck’s Sixsevenoh 79 – P. Lizama 10, A. Diaz 33, E. Diaz 18, Z. Diaz 4, E. Basa 2, K. Fitial 8, G. Gapor 2, J. Benavente 2
Quarterscores: 21-13, 49-32, 68-59, 96-79
Scores:
Hoegaarden IT&E 60 – S. Fernandez 3, R. Talania 18, B. Berline 7, E. Esdrelon 13, K. Schuller 9, M. Capalad 10
Budweiser Saints 49 – L. Reyes 11, M. Manibusan 12, L. Reyes 4, J. White 12, L. Reyes 4, A. Hocog 5, J. Tumaquip 1
Quarterscores: 16-7, 24-22, 35-40, 49-60
