By James Sablan
james@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
UNITY Trade and Eagles/Kuya advanced to the Final 4 of the 2025 E-Sports CNMI Invitational Basketball League on Thursday after defeating their respective opponents in playoff games at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
Unity Trade secured their spot in the Final 4 thanks to an early offensive run that led to a 67-51 victory over HK/Yabangis.
Ivan De Vero spearheaded Unity Trade’s onslaught, catching fire from midrange and scoring 12 consecutive points in one stretch. HK/Yabangis tried to mount a comeback with balanced efforts from Directo, Estolas, and Mejarito, but missed opportunities allowed Unity Trade to convert fast breaks on the other end.
San De Vero, Javier, and Quizon each contributed four points as Unity Trade built a comfortable 35-18 halftime lead.
The second half saw Unity Trade maintain momentum, with Quizon taking the offensive lead and finishing fastbreak opportunities alongside Ivan De Vero. HK/Yabangis’ James Kintz kept his team in the game, but their comeback hopes gradually faded, and they fell 67-51.
Epic comeback
Joining Unity Trade in the winners’ circle were Eagles/Kuya, who staged an epic comeback against HBR, winning 71-66.
HBR controlled much of the game and led by as much as 10 points in the second half. However, in the final 10 minutes, Eagles/Kuya launched a decisive rally, capitalizing on HBR’s missed shots with fast break scores led by Pastrana, Robles, and Rueda, securing the clutch victory.
