Kagman High School V’s Ibrahim Ibarola secures the possession after a defensive rebound against Grace Christian Academy during a boys high school division game of the PSS-NMIBF Interscholastic Basketball League SY24-25 at the Ada gym on Wednesday.
Photo by James F. Sablan Jr.
KAGMAN High School’s varsity team on Wednesday ended the regular season of the PSS-NMIBF Interscholastic Basketball League SY24-25 boys high school division with a bang as they blew past Grace Christian Academy with ease, 68-25, to solidify their fourth-place spot going into the playoffs at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
The skill difference was evident from the start as KHS V took complete control of the opening half. Their biggest advantage was height, dominating the boards on both ends — denying GCA second-chance points while thriving off putbacks, led by Jacob Santos and Shahedur Rahman, who combined for five points within the first five minutes of the game.
Although GCA fought back with Julian Taitano and JiaHao Yang at the frontline, they still struggled to find the bottom of the net, missing more shots than they made.
KHS V extended their lead with transition plays, turning every defensive stop into a bucket on the other end. Phillip Ruak and Santiago Seman finished with 10 and 8 points, respectively, helping KHS V end the first half with a double-digit lead, 25-13.
KHS V then gave the bench a chance to get in on the action, and they did not disappoint. Justin Camacho and Jerrico Pangelinan combined for 10 unanswered points in the early part of the second half, while Javen Camacho added eight points and Ibrahim Ibarola chipped in with nine, further stretching the deficit.
GCA continued to fight, but it wasn’t enough. Yang was the only player able to penetrate KHS V’s defense before GCA ultimately accepted defeat, 68-25.
MCS V vs SSHS V
Securing the second-place spot going into the playoffs is Mount Carmel School V, which notched their fourth win of the regular season by outlasting Saipan Southern High School V, 45-42.
SSHS V took the lead thanks to a barrage of three-pointers, with Jezpher Navarro hitting three triples, while Dany Defang and Charlson Charley added two more to give them a 24-19 lead at the half.
However, MCS flipped the script in the second half as Lance Lerio nearly took over the game. With constant pressure defense, Lerio capitalized on a fastbreak finish, delivering 15 points and seizing control.
SSHS V attempted to regain the lead by forcing fouls to stop the clock, but Lerio proved reliable at the charity stripe, sinking three of four attempts to seal the win, 45-42.
Sitting at the top of the leaderboard is the undefeated Marianas High School V, which secured their sixth consecutive win by trouncing Agape Christian School V, 49-33.
