THE NMI Men’s Basketball Team won the bronze medal after defeating the Federated States of Micronesia, 82-78, Saturday in the 2022 FIBA Micronesian Basketball Cup in Mangilao, Guam.
NMI Men’s Coby Santos rises up for the finish during a game against the FSM in the FIBA Micronesian Basketball Cup 2022 on Guam.
Guam won the tournament gold with a 93-45 demolition of Palau which settled for the silver medal.
The battle for bronze was tough as several lead exchanges were made throughout the game.
In the opening quarter, the FSM drew first blood but the NMI’s Shane Deleon Guerrero replied by finishing at the rim followed by Chioni Dela Cruz splitting the free-throw attempt and knocking down his first three-pointer.
But the FSM kept the offensive rhythm flowing and led by as much as four points. For their part, the NMI displayed proper defense and rallied their way to seize the lead, 14-13, by the end of the opening quarter.
The seesaw battle continued throughout the next two quarters.
In the second canto, the FSM rekindled the flame and found efficiency within the perimeter with AJ Bisalen and Jimmy Palik at the front line. But the FSM could not pull away and led the NMI by a point only, 33-32.
The third quarter saw the FSM leading by as much as six points, but toward the last remaining minutes, the NMI’s Coby Santos and Chioni Dela Cruz stepped up with clutch buckets as the NMI once again trailed by one possession only, 49-50.
It all came down to the final quarter as transition offense allowed the NMI to overtake the FSM.
The NMI’s Jeffrey Castro acted as the sparkplug with his opening triple boosting the team’s morale. Coby Santos, Shane Deleon Guerrero, Lucio Aldan and Sir-Lashu Dela Cruz followed up with back-to-back layups for a 10-0 run before the FSM could stop the bleeding.
The FSM tried to catch up but the clock was on the NMI’s side. The NMI won, 82-78.
In the preliminary rounds, the NMI was dominated by Guam, 113-45, and outplayed by Palau, 72-57.
The NMI then defeated the FSM, 87-84, in a hard-fought game which led to their bronze-medal match.
A medal is a medal
“Overall, we won a medal,” said NMI Coach Joe Diaz. “ I think we did good, performance-wise, after just a year of practice. We stuck to our game plan and we are bringing home a medal.”
Although Coby Santos was the only NMI player who had international experience prior to the Guam tournament, Diaz said, “We also have a bunch of young boys who are now becoming veterans.”
He said he is very proud of his players and considers it a privilege to be their coach.
Diaz said the mental aspect of the game was a challenge for the NMI, but they managed to adjust after the “David and Goliath” match against Guam.
“They were not out here looking for points — they were looking for a medal,” he added, referring to the NMI players.
“I want to thank our Lord above that our men’s and women’s team are safe,” Diaz said. “And my wife Vern for dealing with my hectic schedule as well as my parents. Thanks to our community for believing in our NMI teams and I hope we continue to hold these competitions.”
