By James Sablan
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
TUESDAY night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym had fans on the edges of their seats as Marpac outlasted PSS, 105-94, to maintain an undefeated record in the 2026 Priority Care Inter Business/Government League.
Both teams started evenly, exchanging buckets throughout the opening quarter.
PSS took a physical approach, fighting for control of the boards and living off second-chance putbacks led by Tyrik Basa alongside Maverick Itibus and John Pineda, who delivered strong finishes at the rim.
On the other end, Marpac relied on speed, quickly moving the ball downcourt and utilizing Chioni Dela Cruz, Coby Santos, and Jeffrey Castro’s ability to finish at the rim to gain a slight 25-24 advantage.
During the second period, Marpac found its rhythm and began controlling the pace by turning defense into offense. Their defensive pressure seemed to break down PSS, as forced shots and turnovers followed. Marpac capitalized on each stop with fast-break opportunities. Dela Cruz ignited the run by scoring the first seven points — including a triple — while John Babauta and Francisco Mettao provided a spark off the bench to push the lead to 57-44 at halftime.
However, PSS refused to go quietly. In the third quarter, Melvin Sakisat and Pineda sparked a 32-21 surge to cut the deficit to just two points, 78-76.
But despite the rally, Marpac’s poise in the final frame made the difference. Lushawn Reyes delivered in crunch time, connecting on three consecutive triples to create separation, while Santos and Dela Cruz continued to convert down the stretch to secure the 105-94 win.
Priority Care vs Federals
The nightcap featured another strong performance by Priority Care, which turned a mid-game offensive run into a blowout victory over the Federals, 107-60.
From the opening tip, Priority Care’s transition game was unstoppable, led by the scoring duo of Steve King and Airson Atan, along with the interior dominance of Marvin Rabauliman, who helped hold the Feds to just 14 points in the second quarter as Priority Care took a 62-39 halftime lead.
The second half was more of the same, as Priority Care’s bench contributed heavily to keep the momentum flowing. John Thongaram Jr. and Joseph Torres provided consistent scoring, while the Feds struggled to find rhythm against fresh legs and ultimately fell short.
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.
