Tamayo crushed the defending champs with a last minute two-pointer in the fourth quarter, handing PTC a 68-67 win.
Both teams tied 14-14 in the first quarter. PTC took the lead with an early three-pointer from Zack Babauta and left Satbahi behind, 35-26 by the end of the first half. Babauta drew 12 points, Alex Lauron scored eight, Melvin Capalad tallied seven, and Abe Tagle added six. Jerome Reyes and Danny Dayrit scored four and two points, respectively.
Coach and player Marlon Sison lifted Satbahi with two three-pointers in the third quarter and followed Robert Guiang with a layup. They slowly recovered, breaking PTC’s defense and soaring two points ahead. Sison shot his last three-pointer at the start of the final quarter, but was unable to score again.
Tamayo finished off with 10 more points – four of which were free throws – and toppled Satbahi with his game-ending basket. He was one foul away from being pulled from the game.
Manny Matagolai, one of Satbahi’s new players this season, led his team with 15 points. Rolly Paraiso, Elgene Mangali, and Andy Mortos mustered 10 each, and Sison piled 11.
In Saturday’s second game, team Soul Jazz lost to Cargo Express-Sea Bridge Inc. via forfeit. Sunday’s games were cancelled due to bad weather.
The Miller Lite League, now in a partnership with the Basketball Association of the Northern Marianas Islands, includes 16 teams this year: Satbahi, PTC, Triple J-Sandy Homes, Island Apparel, Hanwa Hotel and Resort, Blue Haus, Cellular Pro, Hoopaholics, Soul Jazz, Cargo Express-Sea Bridge, Archers, Armatech, Andhok’s Litson-Ebisuya, Brabu Pharmacy, Inchcape, and Mobil.
Games will be played every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday starting at 6 p.m.
Scores:
PTC-Miller Lite 68 – B. Tamayo 29, Z. Babauta 12, A. Lauron 8, M. Capalad 7, A. Tagle 6, J. Reyes 4, D. Dayrit 2
Satbahi 67 – M. Matagolai 15, M. Sison 11, R. Paraiso 10, E. Mangali 10, A. Mortos 10, M. De Dios 5, R. Guiang 4, M. Palacios 2
Quarterscores: 14-14, 35-26, 50-52, 68-67
