Sixers subdue Kontenders in heated matchup

The San Antonio Sixers notched their fourth win in as many games after beating the Kontenders, 75-61, in a tension-filled game in the 2008 Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League Tuesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Sixers prevailed by 14 points. But the game was close midway in the second half until the San Antonio-based squad had an 18-4 windup to thwart the stubborn Kontenders in a game that saw players from both camps almost getting into altercations several times.

The last one happened in the remaining 1.2 seconds of the match after Trevor Ogumoro was called for an unsportsmanlike foul for pushing Ernest Duenas, who was trying to escape Ogumoro’s defense from the backcourt.

There were exchanges of heated words and irritated looks at midcourt, but referees Gabriel White and Connie Camacho, and Richard Brostrom, who was waiting for the PTI caging game, stepped in to prevent further confrontation.

In the end, both camps shook hands and the Sixers went home unbeaten, while the Kontenders absorbed their third straight loss after a 2-0 start.

The Sixers controlled the first half, entering the break with a 28-19 lead.

But the Kontenders worked their way back into the game in the second half with Ogumoro’s triple and Soana Pua’s layups.

The Kontenders moved within one, 44-45 midway in the second half after Ogumoro made his fifth triple, and that was when the game started to heat up.

Ian Benavente stopped the bleeding for the Sixers, when he nailed an under-goal stab and drew a foul. He made the bonus shot to give the Sixers more breathing space, 48-44, going into the last seven minutes of the match.

The next plays had both camps taunting each other whether they made or missed shots.

But the Sixers had the last laugh, because after the Kontenders cut the lead to four, 61-57, the former behind Ernest Duenas closed out with an 18-4 run in the last three minutes of the game.

The Kontenders were silent for more than two minutes of the match and scored four points only in the last 20 seconds of the final quarter. They lost focus and took ill-advised shots in the closing minutes to fail to snap their losing skid.

After a 50-44 advantage, Ernest Duenas made three straight baskets to pad the lead to 12, 56-44, with less than two minutes left in the game.

Duenas drew a foul after he nailed his third basket, and the Kontenders showed a classic example of lack of focus, because after Duenas missed the bonus shot, D.J. Ngirchongor leisurely retrieved the ball and tried to give it back to a referee instead of going after the rebound.

The possession returned to the Sixers with Matt Duenas making a putback off an Ernest Duenas missed jumper.

The Kontenders never recovered from thereon, while the Sixers continued to can under-goal stabs, causing more frustrations to the former’s defense.

Ernest Duenas finished with 24 points, while Joe Ada and Matt Duenas had 13 apiece.

Ogumoro scored 23 points, but took several hurried triples in the end. Pua contributed 12 markers.

Sixers 75 – E. Duenas 24, Ada 13, M. Duenas 13, Benavente 7, Agtarap 6, Bigera 4, Flores 4, Salas 2.

Kontenders 61 – Ogumoro 23, S. Pua 12, Kaipat 7, M. Pua 6, Laniyo 4, E. Dillay 4, D. DIllay 2.

Scoring by halves: 28-19, 75-61.