By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
NEW Summit and three other teams opened with victories in the MADFLEX Invitational Basketball League 2026 on Sunday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
New Summit staged a gritty second-half comeback to defeat Win Trust, 70-54.
The game opened as a defensive grind, with both teams struggling to find rhythm. New Summit established early control of the boards and capitalized on second-chance opportunities, as Wemby Tabora helped power his squad to a 17-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Win Trust responded in the second period, asserting its presence in the paint while tightening its defensive rotations. New Summit was held to just eight points in the quarter, while Tony Kim and Fritz Claros combined for 11 to give Win Trust a slim 26-25 halftime advantage.
New Summit regrouped after the break.
Its conditioning and perimeter pressure began to wear down Win Trust in the third quarter. Tabora picked up where he left off, scoring nine points in the period to spark a decisive run. Defensively, New Summit shifted to a full-court press that forced several costly turnovers, turning them into transition points and reclaiming the lead, 47-36, entering the final frame.
With momentum on its side, New Summit refused to let up in the fourth. Camacho joined the offensive surge as the team delivered its highest-scoring quarter of the night. Win Trust tried to keep pace behind Kim and Claros, but its offense faltered under sustained pressure. New Summit pulled away for the 70-54 victory.
Other games
Also winning in their season debuts were the Compadres, who edged D’ Out Cast in overtime, 77-73; The Game, which defeated the MP Raiders, 76-73; and Blue Haus, which topped Hybrid, 88-78.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
